As a member of the Federal Communications Commission, Michael Copps cast the only dissenting vote to the approval of Comcast’s acquisition of NBC/Universal. In this conversation, he details his strong opposition to the new proposed $45 billion merger of Comcast with Time-Warner Cable, which would expand Comcast’s dominance of cable distribution to 57%. We discuss the vertical integration of Comcast, with TV and film production at NBC/U and distribution via phone, broadband and paid cable. Copps refers frequently to “the public interest” requirements of the Communications Act, which are rarely considered in the approvals of deals like this consolidation by Comcast. We also discuss Net Neutrality and the new proposal from FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler, former top lobbyist for the cable TV and wireless phone industries.

*Michael Copps served as FCC Commissioner from 2001 to 2009, spent 12 years as a Senate staffer, and was a history professor at Loyola University, New Orleans. He is currently an adviser on Media and Democracy at Common Cause.