ROANOKE TIMES 

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 26, 1994                   TAG: 9401260242
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A4   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short

FCC CONSIDERING CUT IN CABLE TV RATES

The 57 million American households that receive cable television could get a cut in subscription rates under new rules being considered by the Federal Communications Commission, an FCC official said Tuesday.

The official, who requested anonymity, said it is premature to speculate on the size of possible cuts. But he said the aim of the FCC at its Feb. 10 meeting will be to adopt a new formula that could lower prices for nearly all customers.

New FCC Chairman Reed Hundt hinted at the change in a Jan. 11 speech in Los Angeles.

"Our goal is to set competitive prices where competitive markets do not exist without stifling incentives for further investment and innovation," Hundt said.

The commission source said setting competitive prices for cable companies, which almost always operate as monopolies, inevitably means reducing rates.

- Associated Press 

Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.
by CNB