National Cable & Telecommunications Association president Kyle McSlarrow, Has stated that giving must carry status to Class A stations would harm digital transition. This is absolute bullcrap. The cable industry has done everything in it''s power to deny viewers access to local television stations on it''s cable monopolies through out the country. It currently is airing ads that state television viewers will not receive signals after the 2-19-2009 cutoff date. They use a little old lady to try and scare people to subscribing to cable so they can get digital television. The current add campaign by the cable industry is fraudulent and outrageous.

Class A stations have been trying to get must carry rights for a very long time. In the DMA''s over the largest 150 they have must carry rights, all Chairman Martin is doing is creating a level playing field for those stations in the markets below the top 150 DMA''s. If cable companies would have played fair with these local broadcasters and agreed to carry these signals local cable systems this would not be required. However cable monopolies do not want competition for local ad revenue. That is what this is all about. Cable systems in large DMA''a can find the space to carry hundreds of channels, but have no room for a couple of local Class A stations. This is absurd.

Cable wants to use scare tactics with fraudulent advertising to scare subscribers, and it wants to eliminate competitors from the marketplace, through more scare tactics and bullcrap to Congressional committees. Class A stations deserve must carry and will get it when the new order is published. Cable company litigation and scare tactics will do nothing to stop this. If I was Kyle McSlarrow I would seek legal council for the cable industry because their current ad campaign about digital transition is fraudulent and harms Class A stations, as well as low power stations. The Class A stations may choose to sue all the cable companies for slander and fraudulent advertising.

In addition Cable companies are subject to FCC regulation and are already required to carry Class A stations in some markets, The FCC has every right to upgrade Class A stations to ensure a smooth transition to digital Television. By having Class A stations switch to digital signals quicker it will free up valuable spectrum for first responders, and create a level playing field between all broadcasters and cable companies. The actions of the cable industry in this matter is disgraceful, slanderous and fraudulent.