Andrew Jay Schwartzman, President and CEO of Media Access Project, has issued the following statement in response to today’s U.S. Court of Appeals decision vacating the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) rules limiting the number of cable TV systems any one company can own:

“I’m disappointed, but not surprised. Although Congress directed the FCC to establish limits on cable ownership in 1992, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals has been disinclined to approve such regulations. It is hard to imagine that any rule the FCC could devise would ever withstand review under the standards established in today’s decision.

This is not the end of the fight. Big cable’s anti-competitive ownership structure has increased prices and limited choices for the American public. Therefore, we will consult with the FCC on whether Supreme Court review is feasible. If not, we’ll be asking Congress to pass new legislation to insure more choice and lower prices for cable TV service.”

Media Access Project represents CCTV (a Vermont public access TV producer), the Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ and the Center for Creative Voices in Media (a group of TV producers, directors and writers) in this litigation.

Read the Court’s decision here.