FCC Pauses Reviews of AT&T-DIRECTV, Comcast-TWC Mergers

WASHINGTON, D.C.: The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has paused its 180-day informal time clock in the reviews of the proposed mergers of AT&T and DIRECTV and of Comcast Corporation and Time Warner Cable (TWC).

The reviews are paused until further notice. It comes in the wake of a series of objections filed by content companies that do not want their contracts accessed by third parties. Companies such as CBS, Scripps Networks Interactive, Disney, Time Warner, 21st Century Fox, Univision and Viacom have raised concerns over giving access to programming contracts to attorneys, arguing that the information could get into the wrong hands, notably that of its competitors. Companies such as Dish Network and organizations including the Writers Guild of America West are arguing that they need access to such information in order to fully analyze the impact of the proposed mergers.

"We agree with these commenters that their current inability to review Highly Confidential Information that has been submitted in these dockets significantly hampers their ability to meaningfully comment and participate in these proceedings," said William T. Lake, the chief of the FCC Media Bureau. "Accordingly, we are suspending the pleading cycles and stopping our 180-day informal time clock in both dockets. After we rule on the objections, we will issue a Public Notice setting forth new pleading cycles that will provide sufficient time for commenters to review the relevant materials and prepare their comments."