Rep. Cárdenas Praises FCC for Extending Comcast/TWC Comment Period

Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-Calif.) Tuesday praised the FCC's decision to pause the informal shot clock on its review of the Comcast/TWC merger and effectively extend the reply comment period on the proposed deal to Oct. 29.

Cárdenas, who has been critical of the deal, said the move shows the FCC "realizes there are still voices that have legitimate concerns." Those voices include at the FCC's Media Bureau, who said they still needed more info from the parties and to vet a Comcast analysis of program discrimination that refuted the FCC's own analysis in the Comcast/NBCU merger.

Cárdenas said that extending the comment period would insure the public that if the deal is approved, it is "fair to consumers; ensures that smaller, independent voices can thrive; and promotes diversity in the media."

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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.