US might finally force cable-TV firms to advertise their actual prices

Enlarge / President Joe Biden speaks on the South Lawn of the White House on June 15, 2023, in Washington, DC. (credit: Getty Images | Alex Wong )

President Joe Biden this week criticized cable-TV companies for imposing “junk fees,” as the Federal Communications Commission proposed new rules cracking down on the hidden fees charged by cable and satellite video providers.

“My administration’s top priority is lowering the cost of living for the middle class, and that includes cracking down on companies’ use of junk fees to hide true costs from families, who end up paying more as a result,” Biden said in a statement on Tuesday.

As Biden noted, the FCC “proposed a new rule that would require cable and satellite TV providers to give consumers the all-in price for the service they’re offering up front.” The proposed rule would force companies like Comcast, Charter Spectrum, and DirecTV to publish more accurate prices.