Consumer groups respond to the Time Warner and Comcast merger
Posted by: Timothy Weaver on 02/13/2014 11:41 AM
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Consumer and digital rights groups are pressing the government to reject the merger between Time Warner Cable and Comcast as it would give the combined company huge market power in the broadband and cable TV industries.
Consumer and digital rights groups Free Press, Public Knowledge and Consumer Watchdog all have expressed that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice or Federal Trade Commission reject the merger.
If the merger goes through, the combined company would control about a third of the U.S. cable market.
Harold Feld, senior vice president at Public Knowledge, said “If you look at the triple play market, the combined market share of these companies is just enormous. Every equipment manufacturer, every programmer, every online developer, would need to deal with Comcast/TWC to stay viable. And ultimately, consumers pay for that kind of power through higher prices and fewer choices.”
Such combined clout would not only allow the company to dictate its own pricing structure, but also dictate prices for the entire industry.
Who you gonna call when your cable goes down and your fees go up?
Consumer and digital rights groups Free Press, Public Knowledge and Consumer Watchdog all have expressed that the U.S. Federal Communications Commission and the Department of Justice or Federal Trade Commission reject the merger.
If the merger goes through, the combined company would control about a third of the U.S. cable market.
Harold Feld, senior vice president at Public Knowledge, said “If you look at the triple play market, the combined market share of these companies is just enormous. Every equipment manufacturer, every programmer, every online developer, would need to deal with Comcast/TWC to stay viable. And ultimately, consumers pay for that kind of power through higher prices and fewer choices.”
Such combined clout would not only allow the company to dictate its own pricing structure, but also dictate prices for the entire industry.
Who you gonna call when your cable goes down and your fees go up?
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