Top Walt Disney executives pressed FCC Chmn. Powell and Commissio...
Top Walt Disney executives pressed FCC Chmn. Powell and Commission staffers to impose interactive TV (ITV) open access requirements on cable operators in several recent meetings. Disney Chmn. Michael Eisner, Pres. Robert Iger, Exec. Vp Preston Padden and Vp-Govt.…
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Relations Susan Fox met with Powell, legal adviser Susan Eid and staffs of Mass Media Bureau, Cable Bureau and Office of Plans & Policy, stressing potential for cable operators to discriminate against independent programmers by not providing return path for their ITV offerings. Disney executives also raised concerns about ability of vertically integrated MSOs to favor their own ITV services. In addition, Disney officials pressed their case for FCC to relax its broadcast ownership cap. Meetings, revealed in new ex parte filings at Commission, came just before agency, in response to petition from Media Access Project, extended deadline to May 11 for reply comments in its ITV inquiry (CD April 11 p7).