Obama Cable Box Executive Order — Benevolent tip of lame-duck regulatory iceberg
April 17, 2016
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Obama signed an Executive Order (EO) on Friday that affects American businesses and the free market (what's left of it, anyway).
Obama has ordered the FCC to open up set-top cable boxes to competition, and he more broadly ordered executive agencies to search for ways that they can ensure competition among free market businesses and corporations.
The set-top box order centers on the way that cable companies lease these boxes to consumers, charging a monthly fee for their use. Harkening back to the days when people had to rent phones from the telephone company, the order intends to correct the problem as was done in telephone case.
The White House writes:
That’s why today the President announced that his Administration is calling on the FCC to open up set-top cable boxes to competition. This will allow for companies to create new, innovative, higher-quality, lower-cost products. Instead of spending nearly $1,000 over four years to lease a set of behind-the-times boxes, American families will have options to own a device for much less money that will integrate everything they want — including their cable or satellite content, as well as online streaming apps — in one, easier-to-use gadget.On its face, this doesn't seem to be a problem and may even be a good idea for those still using cable, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.