Voices Speak Up for Set-Top Choice

The Consumer Video Choice Coalition says that more than 100,000 "consumer voices" have contacted the FCC in support of its set-top box proposal.

That proposal is to give third-parties, which are represented in the coalition, access to MVPD set-top content and data so they can wed it with over-the-top offerings in a gateway device.

Those comments were generated by the Unlock the Box campaign, which was also the FCC's branding on the effort, and via Change.org's similar online petition effort.

While edge providers, including Google and Amazon, support the proposal, many others do not, including cable and telco ISPs, advertisers, and some Hill Democrats, at least as the proposal currently stands. 

Among those supporting the Unlock the Box campaign are Consumer Reports, Common Cause, Demand Progress Fight for the Future, and Public Knowledge, who have also pushed for strong network neutrality rules.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.