CompuServe Messages

This concept has actually been around for quite some time. The 1984 Act required cable systems with more than 36 channels to set aside a certain percentage of those channels for lease to programmers (leased commercial access, as opposed to community or public access, as I originally described it). No. 1, many cable systems that I'm familiar with have 36 or less channels, and no. 2, there weren't enough safety valves to prevent cable companies from setting exorbitant rates or making unreasonable demands. The 92 Act attempted to solve some of these problems by assigning rate-setting and oversight power to the FCC (we'll see how THAT works). This is described in Section 7 of the Senate version of the Act, the version that eventually passed. Allen