FOR FCC RECORD ONLY $//Meredith Cable Television of Ramsey/Washington, Oakdale, MN, MO&O, DA95-218//$ $/76.922 Rates for Cable Programming Service tier/$ $/benchmark cable rates/$ Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. DA 95-218 In the Matter Of ) ) CUID Nos. MN0313, MN0314, MN0315 Meredith Cable Television of ) MN0316, MN0317, MN0318 Ramsey/Washington ) MN0319, MN0320, MN0321 ("Ramsey/Washington Suburban") ) MN0322, MN0323, MN0324 Oakdale, Minnesota ) and MN0335 ) Benchmark Filing To Support ) Cable Programming Service Price ) Memorandum Opinion and Order Adopted: February 10, 1995 Released: February 14, 1995 By the Chief, Cable Services Bureau: Introduction 1. Here we consider complaints about the price Meredith Cable Television of Ramsey/Washington ("Meredith") was charging for its cable programming service ("CPS") tier in its Ramsey/Washington Suburban cable system headquartered in Oakdale, Minnesota, CUID Nos. MN0313, MN0314, MN0315, MN0316, MN0317, MN0318, MN0319, MN0320, MN0321, MN0322, MN0323, MN0324 and MN0335. Meredith has chosen to attempt to justify its price through a benchmark showing on FCC Form 393. This order addresses the reasonableness of Meredith's prices only through May 14, 1994. At a later time we will issue a separate order addressing the reasonableness of the price after that date. 2. Under the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992, and our rules implementing it, 47 C.F.R. Part 76, Subpart N, the Commission must review CPS prices upon the filing of a complete and timely complaint. The filing of a complete and timely complaint triggers an obligation on behalf of the cable operator to file a justification of its CPS prices. Under our rules, an operator may attempt to justify its prices through either a benchmark showing or a cost-of-service showing. In either case, the operator has the burden of demonstrating that its CPS prices are not unreasonable. 3. The Commission's original rate regulations took effect on September 1, 1993. The Commission subsequently revised its rate regulations effective May 15, 1994. Operators with complete and timely CPS complaints filed against them prior to May 15, 1994 must demonstrate that their CPS prices were in compliance with the Commission's initial rules from the time the complaint was filed through May 14, 1994, and that their prices were in compliance with the revised rules from May 15, 1994 forward. Operators attempting to justify their prices for the period prior to May 15, 1994 through a benchmark showing must complete and file FCC Form 393. Generally, to justify their prices for the period beginning May 15, 1994 through a benchmark showing, operators must use the FCC Form 1200 series. Procedural Matters 4. According to Meredith's letter to the Commission dated March 22, 1994, a single, complete and timely CPS complaint was served on Meredith "on or about" February 23, 1994 for all of the franchise areas covered by this Order except MN0335. A complete and timely Form 329 was served on Meredith for CUID No. MN0335 on October 1, 1993. 5. Meredith filed Forms 393 for its Ramsey/Washington Suburban cable system located in Oakdale, Minnesota, for CUID Nos. MN0313, MN0314, MN0315, MN0316, MN0317, MN0318, MN0319, MN0320, MN0321, MN0322, MN0323, and MN0324 on March 24, 1994. Meredith filed a Form 393 for CUID No. MN0335 on November 16, 1993. Discussion 6. Meredith asserts that its monthly CPS price of $13.24 per subscriber is justified by its benchmark filing because its price is less than the maximum permitted charge of $13.29 as calculated in it most recent filing. Upon review, we have found no apparent errors that would require a recalculation of Meredith's maximum permitted CPS price. Conclusions 7. Upon review of the record herein, we conclude that Meredith has demonstrated that $13.24 per subscriber per month, plus franchise fee, was a reasonable CPS tier price for the period from October 1, 1993 to May 14, 1994 for CUID No. MN0335, and for the period from February 23, 1994 to May 14, 1994 for all of the other franchise areas covered by this Order. 8. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to Section .0321 of the Commission's Rules, 47 C.F.R.  0.321, that the complaints referenced herein against the cable programming service price charged by Meredith Cable Television of Ramsey/Washington, on its Suburban cable system headquartered in Oakdale, Minnesota, CUID Nos. MN0313, MN0314, MN0315, MN0316, MN0317, MN0318, MN0319, MN0320, MN0321, MN0322, MN0323, MN0324 and MN0335, and all other complaints relating to the same price, ARE DENIED TO THE EXTENT INDICATED HEREIN. 9. IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, that the benchmark filing submitted by Meredith Cable Television of Ramsey/Washington for its Ramsey/Washington Suburban cable system justifies a maximum price of $13.24 per month (plus franchise fee) for Meredith Cable Television of Ramsey/Washington's cable programming service tier for the period February 23, 1994 to May 14, 1994 in CUID Nos. MN0313, MN0314, MN0315, MN0316, MN0317, MN0318, MN0319, MN0320, MN0321, MN0322, MN0323 and MN0324, and for the period October 1, 1993 to May 14, 1994 in CUID No. MN0335. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Meredith J. Jones Chief, Cable Service Bureau