FOR THE FCC RECORD ONLY
$//Newhouse Broadcasting Corp., Order, DA 95-621//$
$/Part 76 Subpart N, Cable Rate Regulation/$
$/Request for Stay/$

                                Before the
                     FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                          Washington, D.C. 20554


In the matter of  )     
 )                                                                DA 95-621
Newhouse Broadcasting Corporation  ) 
      )
Request for Stay             )     

                                   ORDER

      Adopted:  March 24, 1995        Released:  March 28, 1995

By the Chief, Cable Services Bureau:

 1.  On March 1, 1995, Newhouse Broadcasting Corporation ("Newhouse") filed with
the Cable Services Bureau a request for deferral of action on complaints regarding the rates
Newhouse cable operators have charged for cable programming service ("CPS") tiers in
various areas, based on the pendency before the Commission of Newhouse's application for
review of recent decisions regarding Letter of Inquiry ("LOI") investigations.  Newhouse
notes that the Bureau has previously agreed not to defer action, but to stay the effectiveness of
actions implicating issues common to CPS complaints and LOI orders.  Noting that the
Bureau has since adopted orders resolving rate complaint cases in a number of Newhouse
service areas, and that additional rate complaint cases are pending, Newhouse requests a
blanket stay of the effectiveness of such orders pending resolution of the LOI review.

 2.  Newhouse notes that, even in Newhouse systems that were not subject to LOI
proceedings, the issues involved in the LOI and CPS rate complaint cases are identical, and
the Commission's resolution of the LOI cases will affect the Bureau's handling of the CPS
rate complaints.  Newhouse also refers to the Bureau's statement that consumers would not be
harmed by such a stay, since the stay would be lifted, and any refunds ordered would be paid
with interest, in case of the Commission's upholding the Bureau's LOI decisions.  Newhouse
notes that the Bureau released a series of orders resolving CPS rate complaints in various
Vision Cable communities in North Carolina, and states that the pending LOI issues were
involved, so that a stay of the effectiveness of those orders would be appropriate.

 3.  We have considered the arguments made, and believe it would be appropriate to
stay the effectiveness of any action pursuant to our orders with respect to Newhouse CPS
complaints (including the running of any time periods set forth in those orders) until the
Commission releases a decision on the applications for review of the Bureau's LOI decisions
regarding the treatment of the relevant a la carte packages.  

 4.  Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to Section 0.321 of the Commission's
rules, 47 C.F.R. 0.321, that the effectiveness of any action pursuant to our orders with
respect to complaints against Newhouse Broadcasting Corporation or any of its members,
regarding the prices charged for cable programming services, IS STAYED pending
Commission resolution of pending review of Newhouse Broadcasting Corporation Letter of
Inquiry proceedings. 
 
 
                     FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION




                     Meredith J. Jones
                     Chief, Cable Services Bureau