Merger Would Affect Millions of Rural Households and Access to Popular Independent Programming
WASHINGTON, DC - Patrick Gottsch, founder of RFD-TV, will testify Thursday at a hearing before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on "Competition in the Video and Broadcast Markets: the Proposed Merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable." Rural Media Group is the world's leading provider of multimedia content dedicated to the rural and western lifestyle, and is the parent company of RFD-TV, an independent programmer distributed to more than 40 million U.S. homes.
"Sadly, the choice and diversity in rural independent programming that RFD-TV offers is threatened by ongoing consolidation in the cable industry," stated Patrick Gottsch, RFD-TV Founder. "With Comcast controlling the access to 30 million cable homes post-merger, 23 of 25 of the top urban markets, and having a presence in 40 of 50 states, this is a critical time for not only our own programming, but also the 146 independent program producers who depend on our networks for their distribution. The flow of information between urban and rural America must be a two-way pipeline so there is not a barrier between city and country interests."
WHO: Patrick Gottsch, Founder and Chairman of Rural Media Group, Inc., owner of RFD-TV
WHAT: Testimony before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on "Competition in the Video and Broadband Markets: the Proposed Merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable"
WHEN: Thursday, May 8, 20149:30 a.m.
WHERE: 2141 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.
To view Patrick Gottsch's testimony in full, click here.
For more information or to arrange an interview with Patrick Gottsch, please contact Kirk Monroe at 202-207-3646, kmonroe@prismpublicaffairs.com
