The FCC has several votes scheduled today on matters of public importance. The biggest is whether it will impose regulation on the behemoth cable industry under the 1984 rule known as 70/70. The PIRG-backed Media-Democracy Coalition is urging a yes vote on that proposal and also urging that the FCC protect the future viability of community-owned low power FM radio stations (our release). The key swing vote is longtime consumer champion Jonathan Adelstein.

From the story FCC Could Extend Reach To Cable TV by Frank Ahrens in the Washington Post.

A vote could begin a process resulting in a national cap on cable ownership, with no cable company allowed to have more than 30 percent of all U.S. subscribers, a ceiling that Comcast Communications is near. It could also reduce prices that cable companies could charge smaller or independent programmers to lease access on unused channels. The FCC has the authority to impose such regulations only if 70 percent of all U.S. households are able to subscribe to a cable service with at least 36 channels and if 70 percent of those households subscribe to such service. The first threshold was crossed years ago; nearly all U.S. homes are now "passed" by cable, to use the industry term.