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LOBBYING REPORT |
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 (Section 5) - All Filers Are Required to Complete This Page
2. Address
| Address1 | ONE PARKWAY CENTER, #212 |
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| City | PITTSBURGH |
State | PA |
Zip Code | 15220 |
Country | USA |
3. Principal place of business (if different than line 2)
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5. Senate ID# 54528-12
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6. House ID# 349900000
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| TYPE OF REPORT | 8. Year | 2008 |
Q1 (1/1 - 3/31) | Q2 (4/1 - 6/30) | Q3 (7/1 - 9/30) | Q4 (10/1 - 12/31) |
9. Check if this filing amends a previously filed version of this report
| 10. Check if this is a Termination Report | Termination Date | |
11. No Lobbying Issue Activity |
| INCOME OR EXPENSES - YOU MUST complete either Line 12 or Line 13 | |||||||||
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| 12. Lobbying | 13. Organizations | ||||||||
| INCOME relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period was: | EXPENSE relating to lobbying activities for this reporting period were: | ||||||||
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| Provide a good faith estimate, rounded to the nearest $10,000, of all lobbying related income for the client (including all payments to the registrant by any other entity for lobbying activities on behalf of the client). | 14. REPORTING Check box to indicate expense accounting method. See instructions for description of options. | ||||||||
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Method A.
Reporting amounts using LDA definitions only
Method B. Reporting amounts under section 6033(b)(8) of the Internal Revenue Code Method C. Reporting amounts under section 162(e) of the Internal Revenue Code |
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| Signature | Digitally Signed By: Matthew M. Polka, President and CEO |
Date | 01/19/2009 |
LOBBYING ACTIVITY. Select as many codes as necessary to reflect the general issue areas in which the registrant engaged in lobbying on behalf of the client during the reporting period. Using a separate page for each code, provide information as requested. Add additional page(s) as needed.
15. General issue area code COM
16. Specific lobbying issues
Please see the addendum attached for the full text of COM issues covered.
With respect to the FCC's Review of the Commission's Program Access Rules and Examination of Programming Tying Arrangements (MB Docket No. 07-198), the American Cable Association informed Members of Congress and FCC Commissioners about how broadcasters and programmers use their market power to discriminate against small and medium-sized operators by extracting higher fees than those paid by larger distributors in the same market. The Association also spoke to them about how program distributors tie their desired programming with undesired programming, and force independent operators to include these channels in widely distributed tiers, regardless of consumer interest or its impact on household budgets.
The ACA notified lawmakers and the NTIA Acting Assistant Secretary that retransmission consent negotiations could cause significant consumer confusion around the February 2009 digital television transition, and its support for the FCC to establish a broadcast carriage quiet period around the time of the digital television transition date.
The ACA continued to lobby Congress in support of legislation, such as H.R. 2821, the Television Freedom Act of 2007, which would ensure that cable customers receive access to in-state broadcast signals that they may not currently receive from their cable and satellite providers due to retransmission consent and exclusivity rules.
With respect to the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the Development of Competition and Diversity in Video Programming Distribution and Carriage (MB Docket No. 07-42), ACA notified Congress and FCC Commissioners of its position at the Commission that independent programmers should not be allowed to file complaints against independent operators for discriminating or failing to negotiate in good faith.
The ACA alerted Congress that it filed FCC comments in support of the retransmission consent complaints of both Baja Broadband Operating Company (CSR-8062-C) and Trust Cable TV (CSR-8063-C) who each charged broadcasters with violating their duty to negotiate carriage in good faith. The Association also notified members of Congress about similar complaints by Paul Bunyan Telephone Cooperative (CSR-8076-C) and Lafayette Utility System (CSR-8084-C). The operators' complaints spoke of take-it-or-leave-it deals and other abuses of market power. ACA also
The ACA informed lawmakers about its concerns with the FCC adopting a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would allow Class A low power television stations to elect must carry.
With respect to the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction, Infrastructure and Operating Data Gathering (WC Docket No. 08-190, FCC 08-203), ACA informed members of Congress about its filing in this proceeding in opposition to the Commission's proposal to place new Automated Reporting Management Information System (ARMIS) reporting requirements on all phone and broadband providers, including small and medium-sized operators.
The ACA told Congress of its continued advocacy at the Commission in opposition to News Corporation's Petition for Modification of Conditions (MB Docket 03-124) that were placed upon it by the FCC when it acquired News Corp in 2004.
With regard to the FCC's Assessment and Collection of Regulatory Fees for Fiscal Year 2008 (MD Docket No. 08-65), the ACA alerted Congress of its comments filed in support of the FCC establishing a uniform subscriber-based fee structure for all pay television providers.
ACA let lawmakers know of its support at the FCC for Cable ONE's wavier request (CSR-8080-Z) from the Commission's digital set top box integration ban in order to deploy an inexpensive digital set top box in its Tennessee cable system.
The ACA alerted members of Congress of its opposition to the National Association of Broadcasters and the Association of Maximum Service Television's Petition for Reconsideration (CS Docket No. 98-120) that seeks to require cable operators who avail themselves of the recently adopted digital must carry exemption to provide notice of their digital to analog conversions to their customers, as well as the reason why they are qualified to do so to affected broadcasters and the Commission.
The ACA notified members of Congress that, as a member of the new U.S. Broadband Coalition, it supports their establishment of a national broadband strategy, which includes specific goals for the implementation of broadband for scientific research education, health care, energy efficiency, transportation and overall economic vitality.
17. House(s) of Congress and Federal agencies Check if None
U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, U.S. SENATE, Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Commerce - Dept of (DOC)
18. Name of each individual who acted as a lobbyist in this issue area
| First Name | Last Name | Suffix | Covered Official Position (if applicable) | New |
Ross |
Lieberman |
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Matthew |
Polka |
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19. Interest of each foreign entity in the specific issues listed on line 16 above Check if None
Information Update Page - Complete ONLY where registration information has changed.
20. Client new address
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21. Client new principal place of business (if different than line 20)
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22. New General description of client’s business or activities
LOBBYIST UPDATE
23. Name of each previously reported individual who is no longer expected to act as a lobbyist for the client
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ISSUE UPDATE
24. General lobbying issue that no longer pertains
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AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
25. Add the following affiliated organization(s)
Internet Address:
| Name | Address |
Principal Place of Business (city and state or country) |
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26. Name of each previously reported organization that is no longer affiliated with the registrant or client
| 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 2 | 4 | 6 |
FOREIGN ENTITIES
27. Add the following foreign entities:
| Name | Address |
Principal place of business (city and state or country) |
Amount of contribution for lobbying activities | Ownership percentage in client | ||||||||||
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28. Name of each previously reported foreign entity that no longer owns, or controls, or is affiliated with the registrant, client or affiliated organization
| 1 | 5 | 9 |
| 2 | 6 | 10 |
| 3 | 7 | 11 |
| 4 | 8 | 12 |