LOS ANGELES (September 21, 2007) – The Parents Television Council™ issued a statement in response to the class-action lawsuit that was filed yesterday against the cable industry.

“On behalf of our 1.2 million members, we applaud the commencement of legal action which, we hope, will lead to the ability for cable subscribers to pick and choose – and pay for – only the cable networks they want,” said Tim Winter, president of the Parents Television Council.

“The overwhelming majority of Americans support the notion of Cable Choice, so it is somewhat surprising that it has taken this long for a class action grievance to emerge against cable television’s bundling practices.  There is no question that a remedy is very much in order to put an end to the wantonly anti-competitive, anti-consumer and anti-family practices of the cable industry – a remedy rendered nearly impossible because of the industry’s Washington power brokering.  A victory in this court case will be a victory for parents and families – and indeed it will be a victory for all consumers.

“For decades now the cable industry has successfully dodged the free market by hiding behind a litany of falsehoods and PR spin.  They have spent tens of millions of dollars on political campaign donations, on lobbying, and on contributions to a myriad of groups and individuals that have helped them to perfect and perpetuate a system that reliably produces price increases that are several times the rate of inflation.

“We support any effort that would allow consumers more freedom to pick, choose and pay for the cable programming they want coming into their home, and would urge the court to swiftly grant class action status in this case.  The foundation of a free, competitive market is built upon market-based choice.  It’s high time for cable to face the votes of consumers,” Winter concluded.