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CABLEWORLD STAFF
MARTIN SHEPHERDS FCC VOTE ON BELLS
What do ?renegade? and ?Picasso? have in common? They were some of the colorful words provoked by the Federal Communications Commission's 3-2 vote last week on phone competition. Rep. Billy Tauzin (R-La.) described it as ?a palace coup? by ?renegade? Republican Kevin Martin against Chairman Michael Powell. ?Picasso-esque? was what Powell called the uncertain regulatory backdrop he said the vote creates. Martin led the two Democratic commissioners in maintaining rules that force Bells to allow competitors access to their lines. Tauzin had wanted the restrictions lifted. It's uncertain what the White House wanted or if the White House knew what it wanted. All five commissioners will appear before Tauzin on Feb. 26 to discuss the health of the telecom sector. A Hill staffer said it's unlikely Tauzin will have forgotten this episode by then. Meanwhile, the lines of demarcation have been drawn at the FCC. This, said an analyst, could cause problems for media companies trying to count to three. The vote's effect on cable broadband is ?murky,? he added. Picasso would understand.
COX HD ROLLS ON
HDTV is now available to more than 40% of homes passed by Cox Communications. The service is now in seven Cox markets following last week's rollouts in Oklahoma City and Phoenix, where local Best Buy stores are promoting Scientific-Atlanta's HD set-tops.
ATOM CHECKS IN
AtomTelevision inked a deal with On Command to distribute up to 20 hours of short films and animation to hotels. The programmer is also expanding its VOD launch with Comcast in Philadelphia by creating up to 40 shorter modules of content for the service.
ROBBINS AT CTPAA
The Cable Television Public Affairs Association's Forum 2003 will feature keynote speeches from Cox Communications president and CEO Jim Robbins, NCTA president and CEO Robert Sachs and U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.). The event kicks off March 30 in Washington, D.C.
HISPANIC CHANNEL COMES TO CHICAGO
The Chicago-based Expresión channel is launching with an original Hispanic programming lineup in May; no distribution deals have been announced for the service.
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