Crossownership ban to Supreme Court; but Congress is about to eliminate the cable telco restriction in telcom bill.

Broadcasting & Cable, November, 1995 by Stern, Christopher

But Congress is about to eliminate the cable/telco restriction in telcom bill Unless Congress and the White House pull off a miracle and enact the pending telecommunications bill by Dec. 6, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the cable/telco crossownership ban next week. The argument comes more than two years after a federal judge in Alexandria, Va., first struck down the ban, which bars telcos from offering video programing in their own markets.

By claiming that the ban violates their First Amendment right to free speech, the Baby Bells have racked up an unbroken string of victories in 10 federal courts around the country. Even if cable wins in the Supreme Court, Congress is poised to do away with the cable/telco crossownership ban on its...

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