Boston Mayor asks FCC to let the city control basic cable prices: Comcast Roundup

Every Thursday morning at 8:30 a.m. EST, find all the stories you need to know about your friendly telecommunications giant in the Comcast Roundup. Get an e-mail subscri ption for our Comcast news updates.

• Comcast defends its local rates for cable TV [Boston Globe] — “Cable television giant Comcast Corp. yesterday defended its local rates as Mayor Thomas M. Menino filed a petition asking the Federal Communications Commission to give the city control over the price of basic cable service in Boston.”
• Massachusetts Sen. Kerry steps into Comcast-Boston brouhaha [Fierce Cable]
• Comcast annual meeting lasts 35 minutes [Inquirer] — Attended by 50 people, the Inquirer reports it far shorter than ones in the past
• Only AFL-CIO Rains on Comcast’s Parade [AdWeek]

More below, including how Brian Roberts brought Stephen Spielberg to Center City.

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Project Open Voice: Comcast launches project to increase local media, video and other content in Philly, elsewhere

Comcast is launching Project Open Voice, a three-year initiative that fits into its federal mandate to bolster local and minority-themed video content. According to a release: “over the next three years we will create portals for local media online and OnDemand in six communities – Philadelphia PA; Hialeah FL; Houston TX; Peterborough, NH; Fresno, CA; and Medford MA. These communities represent a cross-section of American culture and diversity.”

Pledged features include:

• Content with local relevancy
• Public, Educational and Governmental focuses
• Local sports and entertainment additions
• NBCU and Telemundo programming bolstered

What’s next? “Comcast team members will gather with City and PEG programming representatives shortly to kick off the POV project planning in Philadelphia.”

As part of detailed agreements with the FCC regarding its majority acquisition of NBC Universal, Comcast pledged to bolster its local and minority-themed programming.