Unpacking the FCC’s Online Video Proposal

[Commentary] While the Federal Communications Commission might be stepping toward à la carte video programming, it is a baby step at best.

For now, it is uncertain whether the FCC will even formally vote on the proposal, let alone approve it. Details of the proposal will not be available for weeks; then it will take months to collect and review public comment. “This is basically the FCC trying to kick-start online video competition in a way it hasn’t before,” said John Bergmayer, a senior staff attorney at Public Knowledge, a consumer-interest group that supports the changes. “This is a significant step that will create a lot more opportunity for online providers to get access to programing that they might otherwise be cut off from.”