California Common Cause asks the California Public Utilities Commission to Reject Comcast/Time Warner Cable Merger

San Francisco, CA – In comments filed yesterday with the California Public Utilities Commission, California Common Cause urged the Commission to reject the application of Comcast to purchase Time Warner Cable. The proposed merger would consolidate considerable gatekeeper authority in the hands of one company, permanently narrowing the competitive marketplace for ideas.

Contrary to Comcast’s many public pronouncements, it is clear that the proposed transaction is without benefit to the public interest. This transaction would confer too much power on one company and would further jeopardize the competitiveness, diversity, and localism of our already-diminished media ecosystem. 

“The proposed merger is a threat to our democracy,” said Kathay Feng, Executive Director for California Common Cause. “Under a newly consolidated company, Comcast could reduce the number of newsrooms and the diversity of opinion in investigative journalism. Instead of a marketplace of ideas, we would have would have a monopoly.” 

Regulators across the country continue to cripple our media ecosystem by issuing industry-friendly decisions that undermine a local and diverse media. “Media reform is intrinsically linked to broader democratic reform,” said Sarah Swanbeck, Policy and Legislative Affairs Advocate with California Common Cause. “Who owns the media determines the types and quality of stories that are covered. How media portrays the issues can drive the debate and affect whether or not Californians have access to accurate and unbiased information.” 

California Common Cause is part of a nonpartisan, nationwide grassroots network of 400,000 members and supporters that has advocated open, honest, and accountable government for over 40 years. Because a vibrant informational ecosystem is critical to self-governance, California Common Cause is working to ensure public interest communications policies that connect all Americans to quality news and information.

Read California Common Cause’s brief to the CPUC here.