5/16/2006

CWA: Cable Choice Profits the Cable Consumer

WASHINGTON, May 16 /Christian Newswire/ -- Concerned Women for America (CWA) supports legislation introduced by Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) that would allow cable consumers to choose the channels they wish to subscribe to, thus giving them control over the channels their money supports and the programs accessible in their households.

"Those opposed to more choice for families are approaching this issue with an inaccurate portrayal of what a la carte pricing really is,” said Lanier Swann, CWA’s Director of Government Relations. “Cable choice is the only option that truly benefits the consumer. For opposing organizations to insinuate otherwise merely illustrates their priorities: making money rather than protecting families.

“Cable companies should unquestionably empower customers with the management of their checkbooks and televisions. Currently, cable subscribers are forced to hand over their money and subsidize vulgar, insulting programming found on many of the cable channels. Whether they want to watch the programming included in their 100 channel line-up is irrelevant; they are forced to pay for every channel nonetheless.

“The bogus claim that a la carte pricing would drive up cable costs has fallen flat again and again. The Federal Communications Commission released a report in February that showed cable consumers could save up to 13 percent on each month’s cable bill if cable choice is enacted. This just proves what we have said all along: Cable choice is good for families as well as their pocketbooks. The cable industry and others in their corner fight against more choices for the American consumer because they fear for their own profit. CWA is committed to protecting families from these multimillionaire goliaths of greed who have prospered at the expense of family values.

“The off-base comparison of a la carte pricing to buying different sections of a newspaper is yet another implausible argument against channel choice. This analogy proves nothing except the case for cable choice. Consumers don’t have to order one big newspaper. They can go to the store and have a whole aisle full of options from various print outlets. If they want sports, they can buy a sports magazine. If they want gardening, they can buy a gardening magazine. Americans are afforded options upon options—cable television should be one of them.

“CWA along with our grassroots organizations must continue to demand that the cable moguls put customer satisfaction above their own agenda,” Swann concluded.

Concerned Women for America is the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization.