FCC scheduled to vote on closing loophole in cable programming access rules

FCC set to close cable program access loophole

WASHINGTON — Federal regulators are voting on closing a loophole that allows cable TV operators to withhold sporting events and other popular programming that they own from satellite companies and other rivals.

The Federal Communications Commission is likely to eliminate the so-called “terrestrial loophole” at a meeting Wednesday.

The provision has allowed cable TV companies such as Comcast Corp., Cox Communications Inc. and Cablevision Systems Corp. to get around access requirements in a 1992 federal cable law by distributing programming over land-based rather than satellite connections.

Those companies have been able to deny programming to competitors such as DirecTV Inc., Echostar Corp.’s Dish Network, AT&T Inc.’s U-Verse video service and Verizon Communications Inc.’s FiOS video service.