'No Meeting' Update: Still No FCC Meeting, But 7:15 Start Time ... Not

Agenda Features Half-Dozen Media-Related Items

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/27/2007 6:37:00 PM

At almost 7:30 p.m., the Federal Communications Commission had yet to start its 9:30 a.m. meeting, reminding some of the Sept. 11 meeting adopting cable dual-carriage and program-access items, which was also slated to start at 9:30 a.m. and didn't start until about 8:40 p.m.

At press time, the FCC sent out an e-mail saying that the meeting would start at 7:15 p.m., but that came and went with no commissioners in sight.

One commissioner's office had been told no later than 6 p.m. for a start time, according to a source, but expressed skepticism about that timetable, too.

The sticking points remained a vote on lowering the rates cable channels charge to lease capacity and the video-competition report containing -- or now likely no longer containing -- the finding that cable had reached the benchmark 70% homes passed/70% subscribership figures that could trigger new cable regulations.

FCC chairman Kevin Martin said earlier that a number of items are ready for a vote.

While the meeting could eventually be rescheduled for another day, morning meetings under Martin have been known to get started in the afternoon or evening, so hope remained at press time.

Tuesday's meeting is a packed one. The agenda features a half-dozen media items, including: requiring more detailed public-interest-reporting requirements; capping cable's leased-access rates; likely voting on a proposal to lease digital-TV spectrum to minorities, women and small businesses; and the item drawing the most attention: a report that finds cable has reached a market-concentration threshold that could trigger, or at least serve to buttress, various cable regulations being promoted by Martin.

That so-called 70/70 test has somewhat divided the Republican members, with Martin leaking the news of cable's alleged reaching of that mark to The New York Times and the other two Republicans subsequently asking for more information on just how the FCC reached that conclusion.

The FCC was also scheduled to issue a notice of inquiry launching its next video-competition report, but that might have to await additional information, which the FCC would want in short order, Martin said Tuesday.

At press time, a C-SPAN2 crew planning to cover the hearing was still on the premises.