Comcast Lobbying Expenses Down, Charter's Up
Comcast's lobbying cost dropped in Q4 by more than $1 million. It spent $3.94 million, compared with the $5.03 million it spent a year ago, when Comcast was fighting to get an ultimately unsuccessful acquisition of Time Warner Cable approved by federal regulators and in the midst of satellite TV reauthorization on Capitol Hill. Charter Communications, meanwhile, is trying to get acquisitions of Bright House Networks and TWC approved now and is spending more. It clocked $1.16 million in Q4, well up from the $730,000 it spent in that time a year ago. USTelecom spent $1.73 million, roughly on par with the $1.75 million from last year. CTIA was another big spender, with $3.24 million on lobbying in Q4. Incompas spent $296,000 this Q4 versus $409,577 last. Lobbying disclosure forms were due Wednesday (see 1601200061).