FCC Pushes for Cable Providers to Refund Customers for Blackouts

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is proposing a rule that would require cable and satellite TV providers to refund consumers if their service goes out for more than 24 hours. The proposal comes in response to recent blackouts, such as the disputes between Charter Communications and Disney, and Nexstar and DirecTV, which left millions of customers without access to channels. The refunds could come in the form of refunded money, credit on the bill, or a decreased bill for the following month. The FCC is also considering a reporting component to track blackout occurrences.