FCC Extends Over-the-Top Comment Deadlines

The FCC's Media Bureau has granted the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, and everybody else for that matter, more time to comment on its proceeding to define some over-the-top video providers as MVPDs, just not as much time as NCTA wanted.

The FCC granted a two-week extension of comments to April 1 for replies to already-filed initial comments, less than the 30 days NCTA asked for. The FCC had already extended both comment deadlines once by two weeks after the National Association of Broadcasters asked for 30 days.

"The Commission’s general policy is not to grant extensions of time routinely," the bureau said, "but we find that given the large number of commenters and complex issues involved here, the public interest warrants an extension of the reply comment deadline. Although NCTA seeks a 30-day extension, we believe that a two-week extension will give the public enough time to respond to the comments filed in response to the NPRM."

For the full story go to Multichannel.com.

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.