Multichannel News reported that a bill has been introduced on Capitol Hill that would force cable operators to create a family-friendly programming tier, comply with existing federal indecency rules for broadcast stations and/or rebate customers who have blocked channels in a tier. This legislation would seem to force a version of a-la-carte and a view of indecency rules on the cable industry and consumers, but do consumers really want this?

Consider this. Most of the major cable operators reported outstanding first quarter 2007 performance, including significant success with digital cable which features dynamic parental control features. Cox even saw an up tick in basic analog cable. Cable TV is performing well in the face of ongoing stiff competition from satellite and new telco competitors. Cox customers are showing increased satisfaction with their services thanks to new programming choices as well as high definition, On DEMAND and DVR innovations which are increasing the value of their video service and the convenience associated with its use. Consumers direct the free market with their wallets. Americans clearly love their cable TV, and Government intervention threatens this love affair by threatening private investment and further innovation.

Consider also that there is plenty of competition in the marketplace, and everyone has numerous choices for purchasing multichannel video service from cable, satellite, and, increasingly, other wired providers including the telcos. Americans enjoy a free market for most of the goods and services they buy, and there is no reason to think that market forces won’t offer families and other consumers the ability to create the very viewing experience they are looking for.

Still, Cox shares the concerns of parents and policy-makers about controlling kids’ media use. This concern is reflected in our Take Charge! program which provides helpful safety tools and tips, not just for our video service but also for our broadband and telephone services as well. In a couple of weeks, Cox is convening our 2nd national Teen Summit on Internet safety. We believe in educating customers on how to best use their cable services, getting everything they want from the experience, while shielding themselves and their families from those things they don’t want.

This approach not only gives families the practical tools they need to manage their cable experience, it also steers well clear of any of the First Amendment concerns that inevitably are raised by proposals for greater government intervention.