News

On 2 fronts, Senator Franken fights Comcast-Time Warner merger

 

As a legislator, and in the media, Democratic Minnesota Senator Al Franken, is dead set against the looming Comcast-Time Warner merger. Besides marshaling the facts and working the Senate floor, the former writer and comedian uses his ability to create sound bites to get the message across to the public.
Franken is known as a student of legislation and a veteran of the battles in the communications industry – from the time long ago when he was a writer and performer. Albert A. Foer, president of the American Antitrust Institute, said, “As a guy coming from the media, he understands the need for diversity, and as a politician, he understands the need for decentralized power.”
All of which leads to Franken’s position out front opposing the merger. Basically, he told the Times, “They’re going to use their position to leverage higher cable prices and to dictate a lot of things that will make for fewer choices, and their service will be even worse.”
When he says bad service, he knows whereof he speaks. He queried his Minnesota constituents and “… received over 100,000 replies, overwhelmingly opposed to the deal and talking about “how lousy the customer service was.”
In addition, he published an op-ed on CNN’s website entitled Say NO to the Comcast takeover.  
As he wrote, “… if this deal goes through, Comcast will become the only option for millions more consumers.
“The danger in allowing Comcast to accrue even more power is not purely hypothetical. The company is already using its dominant position to dictate terms to content providers seeking to reach its 20 million customers.”
Speed Matters agrees with Senator Franken that the Comcast-Time Warner merger poses some huge antitrust and other problems, and urges Congress and regulators to proceed carefully before allows the largest and second-largest cable companies to combine. 

As a legislator, and in the media, Democratic Minnesota Senator Al Franken, is dead set against the looming Comcast-Time Warner merger. Besides marshaling the facts and working the Senate floor, the former writer and comedian uses his ability to create sound bites to get the message across to the public.

Franken is known as a student of legislation and a veteran of the battles in the communications industry – from the time long ago when he was a writer and performer. Albert A. Foer, president of the American Antitrust Institute, said, “As a guy coming from the media, he understands the need for diversity, and as a politician, he understands the need for decentralized power.”

All of which leads to Franken’s position out front opposing the merger. Basically, he told the Times, “They’re going to use their position to leverage higher cable prices and to dictate a lot of things that will make for fewer choices, and their service will be even worse.”

When he says bad service, he knows whereof he speaks. He queried his Minnesota constituents and “… received over 100,000 replies, overwhelmingly opposed to the deal and talking about “how lousy the customer service was.”

In addition, he published an op-ed on CNN’s website entitled Say NO to the Comcast takeover.

As he wrote, “… if this deal goes through, Comcast will become the only option for millions more consumers.

“The danger in allowing Comcast to accrue even more power is not purely hypothetical. The company is already using its dominant position to dictate terms to content providers seeking to reach its 20 million customers.”

Speed Matters agrees with Senator Franken that the Comcast-Time Warner merger poses some huge antitrust and other problems, and urges Congress and regulators to proceed carefully before allows the largest and second-largest cable companies to combine. 

 

 

Franken’s Campaign Against Comcast Is No Joke (NY Times, Apr. 11, 2014)
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/12/business/media/frankens-campaign-against-comcast-is-no-joke.html 
Say NO to the Comcast takeover (CNN Franken editorial, Apr. 13, 2014)
http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/12/opinion/franken-comcast-takeover/index.html

Franken’s Campaign Against Comcast Is No Joke (NY Times, Apr. 11, 2014)

Say NO to the Comcast takeover (CNN Franken editorial, Apr. 13, 2014)