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The fight to make Netflix and Hulu pay cable fees
- LatteLazy 6y agoInterestingly the fee was created federally: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_television_franchise_fee https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cable_television_franchise_fee Netflix etc does not meet at least 4 of the 6 justifications. ISPs would likely meet them all. So to my eye, that's where this tax needs to be paid. I am guessing ISPs explicitly excluded from paying? Sadly none of this is in the article... From Wiki: * Revenue - a source of general revenue for the government which can be raised without raising taxes. * Rent - rent for the use of public land as right-of-way by the company for its cables. * Exclusivity - compensation to the government for allowing the cable operator to maintain a de facto monopoly on cable service in the area. * Diversity - it is in the public interest to fund government facilities providing public, educational, and government access (PEG) channels that promote diversity in the community. * Benefit - compensation for the public relations benefits the cable provider gains by having public, educational, and governmental channels on the cable. * Regulatory - compensation to the government for the cost of regulating cable television: consultants, auditors, administrators, and inspectors.