NCTA Ready for Robust Discussion With Trump

NCTA: The Internet & Television Association says it is ready to work with a Trump Administration on a "constructive and robust discussion."

It was one of the first communications associations to weigh in after Donald Trump's stunning victory.

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“We congratulate President-elect Trump, as well as all the returning and newly elected Members of Congress," the association said in a statement. "As the transition to a new Administration gets underway, we look forward to participating in a constructive and robust discussion about policies that will continue to make America a global technology and entertainment leader. The internet and television industry is a critical sector of America’s economy and we will continue our track record of healthy investment and inspired innovations that connect, inform and entertain millions of American consumers.”

Trump has already taken aim at the merger with NBCU of NCTA's largest member, Comcast, as well as the AT&T/Time Warner deal. But he has also taken aim at the FCC's reclassification of ISPs as common carriers, which NCTA strongly opposed, so there could be common ground there.

"ACA congratulates President-elect Donald J. Trump and all Senators and House members elected to serve in the new Congress," said American Cable Association President Matt Polka. "We also thank those who have served in Washington for their commitment to our country.  ACA - which has a proud tradition of working with lawmakers, irrespective of party - looks forward to working with the newly elected and re-elected lawmakers on the vital communications issues facing ACA's members and customers in our unique communities."

"America has spent the last 18 months destructively searching for things to divide us," said Verizon chairman Lowell McAdam. "Now let’s invest equal energy into those things that will unite us.  I hope the President-elect, and the new Congress, can quickly move past partisanship and gridlock and work together to prepare our country to compete and grow in the 21st century economy.  Now is the time for every policy maker to consider this question; will you be happy looking into the eyes of your grandchildren after the actions you take today?

"Instead of focusing on parochial needs let’s put the nation first by building and rebuilding infrastructure and promoting the deployment of a digital superhighway to support game-changing innovation that make lives better.  

Let’s tackle the tough issues of education that continue to compromise the future of our children including education inequality that condemns people of all races, colors and economics to disparity throughout their lives.  Preparing our young people for the jobs of the future by strengthening STEM education must be another."

USTelecom President Walter McCormick called for policies that promote investment and prosperity.

“We congratulate President-Elect Trump, and look forward to working with him and his Administration to advance his commitment to infrastructure investment – particularly as it relates to investment in advanced telecommunications networks and services," he said. "This election cycle dramatically illustrated the critical role that broadband plays in our nation, providing millions of Americans an unprecedented ability to stay involved in campaigns for public office at the local, state, and national level – and enabling a new kind of citizen engagement in the democratic process. Policies that encourage continuing investment in this sector represent a path to prosperity, job creation, and economic growth.

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"As a result of the election, it looks like there will be an opportunity for the new President and the new Congress to move forward with a meaningful, pro-growth, pro-competitive deregulatory communications policy agenda that promotes long-term consumer welfare," said Free State Foundation President Randolph May. "A reformist policy environment that presumes the existence of marketplace competition, absent convincing evidence to the contrary, rather than one that defaults to 'Mother-May-I' regulation as the first option, will promote investment and innovation throughout the Internet ecosystem, not just in certain favored market segments. And consumers will be the beneficiaries.

There is no reason why a bipartisan consensus can't be developed concerning such a deregulatory, pro-growth policy agenda."

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.