Publication Type: Statement
Date: 5/8/2010Contact: Rob Stoddard/Brian Dietz 202-222-2350
"We're pleased that the FCC has granted MPAA's request to permit cable customers to receive first-run theatrical movies before their release on DVD. The Commission recognized that waiving its selectable output control rule would permit cable operators and other multichannel video programming distributors to provide their customers a new service which would not be available absent FCC action. This decision serves consumers well by allowing us to provide them more choices in how and when they can view new movies."
NCTA is the principal trade association for the U.S. cable industry, representing cable operators serving more than 90 percent of the nation's cable television households and more than 200 cable program networks. The cable industry is the nation’s largest broadband provider of high-speed Internet access, serving more than 41 million customers, after investing more than $160 billion to build a two-way interactive network with fiber optic technology. Cable companies also provide state-of-the-art digital telephone service to more than 22 million American consumers.