FCC moves closer to equalizing Internet video and cable

Recently, the FCC opened a rulemaking designed to include over-the-top Internet video services as a cable service, with the same rights and rules which govern cable and satellite.  This would mean, for example, that Internet video streaming services would have access to cable companies' affiliated programming on equal rates, terms, and conditions.

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler said, “When digital technology made video simply zeroes and ones, it opened up the opportunity for new Internet-based competition to cable and satellite services. Yet efforts by new entrants to develop new video services have faltered because they could not get access to programming content that was owned by cable networks or broadcasters.”

FCC proposes to modernize MVPD definition (FCC news release, Dec. 19, 2014)
 
Promoting Innovation and Competition in the Provision of MVPD Services (FCC Chair Wheeler statement, Dec. 2014)