FCC bans cable TV industry’s favorite trick for hiding full cost of service

Cable lobby group NCTA-The Internet & Television Association claimed that the commission's "micromanagement of advertising in today's hyper-competitive marketplace will force operators to either clutter their ads with confusing disclosures or leave pricing information out entirely."

Or, you know, you could just tell the truth.

hyper-competitive marketplace
Ah yes, when I think of "hyper competitive" I think of the one and only one cable provider who services my neighborhood.
- Comcast calls me all the time trying to sell me on their ~~Trojan horse~~ streaming box or their cell service. I’m polite to the caller cause I know it’s just a gig for them but I always calmly tell them I only have Comcast as I have no other choice and I’d rather peel off my finger nails than give them any other business. It speaks to how bad things are that I’m dying for Verizon of all companies to come “save” me. Hyper-competitive, fucking lol.
- I would hope this would also apply to the live TV streaming services like Hulu+live tv, Fubo, YouTube TV, etc. I looked into some of them, and the added fees took the monthly bill from like $83 a month to over $100 a month, but you don’t know that unless you read the disclaimers since they advertised it at $83 a month.
- And the thing about regulation like this is that it just resets the bar height for everyone. It's not like this doesn't apply to all competitors.
  Unless we mean non-cable competition, i.e. streaming. Maybe that's not under the jurisdiction of FCC? If not, though, then I have to wonder why this has to be an FCC thing in the first place. This is about truth in advertising, in general.
Whoa whoa whoa, have you been playing too many online games recently? Because your views are sounding a little bit extreme there...
- As an autist who doesn't always catch sarcasm, I have to ask: what alien robot downvoted you?
What competition?
Isnt there like..only two cities in the whole country where cable companies actually have to compete with each other? (and consequently the customers see the lowest prices in the country.. weird how that works?)
- The proliferation of home cell internet and Starlink's internet has had a nice downward pressure in many markets. Both are often surprisingly good, even for heavy internet users. They are something worth checking out in your area.
  Edit: Note, if you look into satellite internet, Starlink is pretty much the only one that doesn't suck. This is due to the satellites being in low earth orbit (fairly close) rather than way, way off in geostationary orbit.
leave pricing out entirely.
So I have to actually do research instead of being baited in? That's fine too.
- Nothing better than Verizon advertising $65 a month, which is already too much, then when you actually try to sign up it's not just more; they straight up refuse to tell you what it will be (yes, I tried asking).
  I know that's not cable but they both play the same games. No, it's not impossible for you to just tell a customer what you're going to charge them.
micromanagement of advertising in today's hyper-competitive marketplace
Well good news: any competitors have the same restrictions so I don't see the relevance.

Quick! Someone tell us why this isn't a good thing because the government did it! Surely there's some secret corruption at work!

Whatever it is It will only come down to costing companies with deep lobby pockets money and how the conservative new agencies are spinning it.
I'd like to see everything priced on the rim and out the door. Taxes, registration, fees, shipping all on the line. I'd like the price on the shelf/invoice/website/advertisement/cash register and bank statement to all match.
- I'm gonna call out the way Amazon bills your credit card for multi-item orders on this one. That's some fuckery right there.
The lobbying group for cable companies said that it would hurt their highly competitive market(I'm sure they weren't able to type that without laughing) and it makes it harder for them to advertise one price since the cost of the sports and local bundles are regional (though they have no problems getting those prices correct on the bills.)
Umm uhhhh they'll have to increase the total price to make up the difference in processing more numbers which will cause the employee budget to decrease hurting the local economy which means less taxes to fund fire department and your babies will burn in a fire caused by the unqualified cable tech they had to hire to offset the loss in profits.
- No no no, you got all wrong. Think of the children! They are ruining the future of our children!
- I just want the unqualified cable tech to not snip the cable to my antenna while he's in my backyard.
Only complaint I have is they waited till the shit is dying to step in and do something. But hey, still a win yo
Usually here it's not a good thing because nothing is allowed to be good. Was the same on a lot of Reddit, too. Like, the upliftingnews subreddit comments were the worst for it.
- "Child spends weekends collecting cans from the trash to save enough money to turn off the Orphan Crushing Machine for a day" is not uplifting news, and is most of what got posted there.

Nice job, FCC, and only 20 years late!

Solving yesterday's problems, tomorrow!
Right? Like why the fuck did it take so long? Ohhh right. Ashit Pie.

...micromanagement of advertising in today's hyper-competitive marketplace...

WTF are they on about? Cable TV is the least competitive market out there. I've never lived anywhere with more than two options.

Whoever Joe Brandon appointed to the FCC seems to be a real one.

Noo the gubernment can't have teeth! Won't anyone think of the billionaires!?
- the only law is gods law*
  *to be picked and chosen depending on how I feel.
- Noo the gubernment can't have teeth!
  Not unless we're talking about something serious like what bathroom you are using!
It’s more so that anyone was appointed. They didn’t have enough members to vote before afaik.

In case you were wondering the Republicans on the FCC both dissent claiming that the FCC has no jurisdiction to ban lying because people being marketed too aren't cable subscribers yet and therefore outside of the FCC's purview. What a load of horse-hockey. Their next argument will be that the FCC has no right to regulate cable at all because the consumer hasn't been screwed until they give the cable company their money at which point it's too late.

As much of a free-market-enjoyer that I am, this is what you get when you vote Republican (or stay home).

I nominate Jessica Rosenworcel for President. And, uh, Supreme Court too.

Nah. Better stay where they are; they can do more there.

My family hasn't been subscribed a satellite/cable tv service in almost 16 years... 8 if you include streaming services.

Their shitty services, comercials, deceptive pricing, arbitrary limitations, and lack of content drove me away long ago. 🏴‍☠️

Haven't had cable nor streaming services my entire life, and I'm 35. Though I do pay for YouTube Premium. Then again, I watch media reviewers and longform film and game essayists. And speedruns. I buy or pirate all my shows. I "own" a number of shows on Google Play, but the last several years has made me stop buying there too. Physical or piracy, baby.

woah what’s with all these comments being removed?

It's a spam bot.
- This. For people wanting to clean up their interface, if you select "block user" on any of those spammer posts, it removes them entirely leaving only real posters.
- a really weird one too with some strange picture of jacked zapp branagin with a poorly photoshopped meme in the ass crack.
It’s just a spammer

Prepare the nipples for tweaking!

"How bummed would you be if we told you the real cost?"

Media Contact: Office of Media Relations MediaRelations@fcc.gov For Immediate Release FCC VOTES TO REQUIRE CABLE AND SATELLITE TV PRICING TRANSPARENCY New ‘All-In’ Pricing Rules Will Address Consumers’ Confusion on Hidden Fees in Cable and Satellite TV Billing

WASHINGTON, March 14, 2024—The Federal Communications Commission today adopted new rules requiring cable and satellite TV providers to specify the “all-in” price clearly and prominently for video programming service in their promotional materials and on subscribers’ bills. The FCC aims to eliminate the misleading practice of describing video programming costs as a tax, fee, or surcharge. This updated “all-in” pricing format allows consumers to make informed choices, including the ability to comparison shop among competitors and to compare programming costs against alternative programming providers, including streaming services. TV providers often use deceptive junk fees to hide the real price of their services. The FCC is putting an end to this form of price masking, increasing competition, and reducing confusion among consumers. These new rules require cable operators and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers to state the total cost of video programming service clearly and prominently, including broadcast retransmission consent, regional sports programming, and other programming-related fees, as a prominent single line item on subscribers’ bills and in promotional materials. The record demonstrates that charges and fees for video programming provided by cable and DBS providers are often obscured in misleading promotional materials and bills, which causes significant and costly confusion for consumers. These new rules continue a series of consumer-focused proposals to combat junk fees and support transparency for consumers. In addition to this “all-in” pricing, the Commission is preparing to upcoming launch of the mandatory Broadband Consumer Labels and has proposed to eliminate early termination fees from cable and satellite TV providers. Action by the Commission March 14, 2024 by Report and Order (FCC 24-29). Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Starks and Gomez approving. Commissioners Carr and Simington dissenting. Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Carr, Starks, and Simington issuing separate statements. MB Docket No. 23-203

Cable is antiquated.

Love it

Remoded by ved

What the fuck?
- Looks like a prolific spammer. Banned account now.