New Report from Common Cause Details How Cable TV Industry 'Hardwires' Its Influence in New York State

The report, “The Cable TV Industry: Hardwiring Influence,” illustrates how the cable television industry has utilized campaign contributions and enlisted armies of lobbyists

by Common Cause of New York

NEW YORK, NY (11/12/2008)(readMedia)-- .

Emargoed Until: Nov. 12, 2008, 11am

Common Cause this morning released a new report entitled, "The Cable TV Industry: Hardwiring Influence." The report brings together New York State lobbying and campaign finance data for the first time to demonstrate how the cable television industry has used its financial resources to fight for industry self-interest at the expense of New York cable subscribers, who Common Cause deems to be the ultimate "Loser" in the report.

"Verizon, Time Warner, Cablevision and special interest Cable Political Action Committee have spent millions upon millions of dollars to influence the decisions of public officials throughout the state, " said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/New York. "The industry has spared no expense and from their point of view it has proved to be a wise investment, while ordinary New Yorkers experience ever-rising cable tv fees totaling billions of dollars annually."

Hardwiring Influence documents the veritable "army" of lobbyists employed by the cable TV industry, which paid more than $24 million for these lobbying efforts in recent years, as well as $4.3 million in campaign contributions made to politicians, their political parties, and party slush funds.

"New Yorkers need to understand the factors - connect the dots - that lead to higher cable tv fees and lax consumer protections," Lerner pointed out. "With that understanding, they can begin to identify reforms that will help control the situation."

The full report, as well as a PowerPoint presentation providing additional detail and visuals, is available for download at www.CommonCause.org/NY/ConnectTheDots.

The report is part of a series called Connect the Dots, which aims to show how money in politics impacts issues New Yorkers care about. This project was made possible by support from the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation.