The FCC is taking preliminary steps necessary to begin its review of the proposed merger between Time Warner Cable and Charter Communications.
Charter announced in May it plans to buy Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks.
In a vote this week, approved an order for how the agency will treat the companies’ confidential information during the merger review.
The decision also allows the commission to set-up procedures on how to treat such private information as the agency scrutinizes other potential mergers. GOP commissioners are less than pleased, saying the proposal was done without public input. Commissioner Michael O’Rielly criticized that, and also stated that the proposed order doesn’t do the job, meaning it doesn’t do enough to protect private information from being disclosed to third-parties.
The confidential information protection item is still to be released; Once it’s out a 180-day merger review shot clock begins.
