Cable Operators To Offer Family-Friendly Network Plan

Ceding to TV pressure groups, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association says that four more major cable operators will be offering a "family" tier of cable networks.

Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable have already expressed their interest. Both companies made statements last week at Wall Street investment conferences.

Kyle McSlarrow, president and CEO of the NCTA, said today during a meeting with the Senate Commerce Committee that Bresnan Communications, Advance/Newhouse Communications, Midcontinent Communications, and Insight Communications--which serve more than half of cable TV subscribers--are also considering a family network tier plan.

A spokesman for Comcast Corp. says no specific plans have been laid out.

McSlarrow said he didn't know the specifics of the plans--or which family networks would be included in the packages. Generally, cable customers would still have to subscribe to a basic tier first, and then subscribe to a new family-friendly tier of networks.

In conjunction with this, NCTA is also pressing the industry to improve awareness of TV ratings and technology, which would enable parents to control what their children see, and would enable the industry to avoid federal regulation.

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