Simington’s Video-Competition Proposal Would Double Down on an Outdated Framework
Commissioner Nathan Simington of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently penned an op-ed (together with Gavin Wax, his chief of staff) highlighting a fundamental problem in America’s media landscape: traditional broadcasters operate under strict regulatory constraints, while streaming platforms enjoy virtually unlimited freedom.
Their solution? Expand FCC oversight to include streaming services as “multichannel video programming distributors” (MVPDs), subjecting them to the same rules governing cable and satellite operators.
While Simington correctly diagnoses the regulatory asymmetry plaguing today’s video market, their prescription—more regulation rather than less—risks doubling down on outdated frameworks, rather than modernizing them for the digital age.