FCC SEEKS INPUT ON CABLE ISSUE

The public has been asked to comment on a proposal to limit the number of cable television systems any one company can own.

The movie industry and some small cable companies have expressed concern that the big cable TV companies will gain too much power over programming and prices if control is concentrated.

The Federal Communications Commission asked for comments by July 18 on a proposal by Satcom, a Montana cable operator that asked that companies be limited to owning systems covering no more than 25% of the United States.

Tele-Communications, Inc. and Time Inc.’s American Television and Communications are the largest multiple system operators in the country, together serving more than 6 million customers. They recently purchased portions of the third-largest operation, Group W Cable Inc., to further consolidate the industry.

In 1982, the FCC rejected a similar ownership-limit proposal.