CÁRDENAS: I OPPOSE THE COMCAST-TIME WARNER MERGER.

(San Fernando Valley, Calif.) – Today, during remarks at a presentation organized by the Writers Guild of America, West, U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-San Fernando Valley) became one of the first members of the U.S. House to publicly oppose a proposed Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger.

Cárdenas called on the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission to block the merger from occurring.

“I have been open to hearing from both sides of this issue and have been assessing the impact on public interest and competition,” said Cárdenas in remarks prepared for the event. “Today I announce my strong opposition to the Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger. I ask the [Federal Communications Commission], the [U.S. Department of Justice], and the California Public Utilities Commission to deny this merger because it is bad for consumers, will harm competition, will lead to less diverse content and more expensive cable and internet access, and will eliminate good jobs in California.”

Cárdenas went on to cite issues with potential mistreatment of independent programming providers, issues with vertical integration between Comcast and its various television stations, the immense broadband footprint a Comcast-Time Warner merger would create and the impact a potential merger, and all of the other issues with it, could have on jobs in the Los Angeles area.

“The proposed Comcast-Time Warner Cable merger is a tipping point in the American media and broadband industries and would encourage a market that is not free, but one that limits innovation, diversity of programming and competition,” Cárdenas concluded.

Cárdenas has long led members of the U.S. House in questioning the merger between the two information giants. In July 2014, he led more than 50 members of the House in writing the CEOs of both Comcast and Time Warner Cable, calling for an understanding as to the future treatment of independent programming providers, particularly those that serve minority communities.

Cárdenas also applauded the freezing of the FCC’s “shot clock,” a 180-day period in which comments regarding the merger can be lodged. He has taken more than 60 meetings with Comcast, Time Warner, other industry officials, stakeholders and opponents of the merger.