Taking a cue from the federal government, which last year decided to strip municipalities of authority to set cable television rates, the City Council unanimously approved an amendment to the city code that will deregulate cable rates in Newport Beach.
The action will take effect Sept. 26.
The council took the action after Group W Cable Inc., one of Newport Beach's two cable franchisees, requested permission for a rate increase. However, because the Federal Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 precludes cities' rights to set cable rates after 1986, the council declined to approve a rate hike, voting instead to deregulate cable rates altogether.
