On June 20th, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) proposed a new rule which would require cable TV and broadcast satellite operators to provide complete transparency on their bills and get rid of any “hidden” fees that may appear after you’ve already committed to one cable company. It would instead require providers to aggregate the cost of the video programming service, including charges for broadcast retransmission consent, regional sports programming, and other programming-related fees, as a prominent single line item on subscribers’ bills and in promotional materials. The goal of the FCC’s new rule is to provide customers with transparent pricing, so that they can make informed decisions, including the ability to comparison shop among competing cable operators. President Joe Biden quickly endorsed this rule and I’m sure many other cable subscribers will as well. For more information on the FCC’s proposal, see its Proposed Rulemaking Notice here.
