WASHINGTON (AP) — The Tennis Channel is accusing Comcast Corp. of discriminating against its cable TV network by relegating it to a premium sports tier that reaches only a small number of subscribers, even as Comcast-owned sports channels get much wider distribution.
In a complaint filed with the Federal Communications Commission, the Tennis Channel charges the nation's largest cable TV provider with violating FCC rules that prohibit such operators from favoring channels that they own over those from other companies.
The Tennis Channel, a small, independent network, reaches about 2.6 million homes through Comcast. The network maintains that Comcast carries it primarily on the premium Sports Entertainment Package, which costs an extra $5 to $8 per month, to protect Comcast's own sports channels from competition.
Comcast's Golf Channel and Versus, which shows hockey, cycling and other sporting events, reach about 21 million homes apiece through Comcast's expanded basic cable lineups.
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Let's hope the Tennis Channel wins. I refuse to pay Comcast's exorbitant rates for premium channels, but I'd love to be able to watch the tennis tournaments.
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