Help improve access and deal with the Digital Divide and there are also commitments made about diversity of programming and im interested in both diversity in the work force and diversity in programming and the accessibility of your Service Platform to a wide variety of content providers. Let me focus you as an example on tv one a if you would. And closing to both of those and then mr. Kimmelman if you might on whether terms and conditions or the appropriate way to address concerns that some might have about this merger. Mr. Cohen on you would in your progress towards internet essentials and meeting commitments made about programmiprogrammi ng and then mr. Kimmelman. At the time he proposed in 2010, it was an experiment. We had no idea if it would work. We had a concept for a Program Based on research and as we have rolled it out it is now the most important Investment Initiative of comcast corp. And the program that i think not only the executives in the company that but rankandfile e
I do not see American Travel as some kind of a reward for Good Behavior have the cuban government. We are unlikely to see that. It is finally a gettough policy with the cuban government. If i may say, the fy 2014 languages clear about the purpose and authorizations of these programs as well as which agency should be in the lead for their implementation. We intend to follow the law and that case and transition some of those issues to the National Endowment for democracy. The larger policy debate here, but i want to come back to assuring you that we believe our implementation and passed with this program has been consistent, that these are not covert, these have been publicly notified a number of times. Thank you, senator. Administrator, do you conduct Internet Access programs in other countries in the world . We do. At the direction of specific language in the congressional do you have an idea how many of those are . Part of what we do everywhere around the world, and Internet Access is
We should all pause and consider the prospect that the fcc is a ratesetting authority, over Internet Access, and what that means for innovation in the Telephone Network of yesteryear. We should also be aware of this path of the door for states to regulate the internet. Contrary to any intended effect the reclass fiction of Broadband Service under title 2 will harm consumers, halt job creation, curtail innovation and stifle investment. In sum at a time when the commission at congress direction is taking steps toward even greater growth and innovation across Internet Access platforms, the commission is simultaneously contemplating rules that undermine those very efforts, and compromise the fundamental approaches of both the clinton and bush administrations that laid the foundation for the internet that we know today. Struggling with some of the actions taken under chairman wheelers watch the selective inaction of the fcc is equally troubling. Although required under the teleCommunication
Providers to negotiate on a much broader basis . Thats part of the dynamic change in the world were living in. Thank you. My time is expired. Thank you, madam chair. Senator bloomenthal had one followup question, and senator franken and i will leave my questions to the end. I much appreciate that, madam chairman, and thanks also to senator franken. Just a quick question. You and i agree that the cost of sports programming are rising, in fact. They are rising astronomically and should better reflect consumer demand. Really arent consumers the best judge of what a fair price for programming should be and wouldnt prices come down if they had more choice, specifically the way to break this cycle of ever increasing costs for sports programming instead of give consumers some more choice through ala carte programming, and i wonder if you could comment on the potential effects of disciplining the market and bringing down the costs of cable as a result of ala carte. Thank you. I truly believe y
Processes are and stuff like that to where it is like, i dont know whether i want to say thats a major charm school faux pas or whatever. But is there anything that prohibits the f. C. C. This is where you need to end up so they can go through the processes so they at least feel like theyve had the processes at the state level before you get there . And we actually have joint boards that work with the National Association regulatory utility commissioners in identifying issues that need to be addressed and how do you address them together and who does that. So thats something we can follow up with and ongoing discussion of how that works. Yes. So this issue that youre discussing was adopted in 2011 before we got to the f. C. C. Before i got here. Ive spoken out against it because in some areas it will increase the rates rural americans pay up to 46 . So i hope we reevaluate that policy. Let me be clear. I didnt realize that was the specific issue you wanted to talk about congressman. Pr