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 Federal  Communications  Commission  DA  06-  2292 
 1 
 Before  the  Federal  Communications  Commission 
 Washington,  D.  C.  20554 


 In  the  Matter  of: 
 Verizon  Telephone  Companies  and  Verizon  Services  Corp. 


 v. 
 Cablevision  Systems  Corporation  and  Rainbow  Media  Holdings,  LLC 


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 File  No.  CSR-  7010-  P 


 ORDER 
 Adopted:  November  14,  2006  Released:  November  16,  2006 


 By  the  Deputy  Chief,  Policy  Division,  Media  Bureau 
 1.  Verizon  Telephone  Companies  and  Verizon  Services  Corp.  (“  Verizon”)  filed  a  program  access  complaint  pursuant  to  Section  628(  b)  1  and  Section  628(  c)(  2)(  B)  2  of  the  Communications  Act  of 
 1934,  as  amended,  against  Cablevision  Systems  Corporation  and  Rainbow  Media  Holdings,  LLC  (collectively  “Rainbow”).  Verizon  alleged  that  it  was  denied  the  right  to  carry  three  of  the  satellite-delivered 
 regional  sports  networks  (“  RSNs”)  owned  and  controlled  by  Rainbow  –  Fox  Sports  Network  New  York,  Madison  Square  Garden  Network,  and  Fox  Sports  Network  New  England  –  and  this  refusal  to 
 deal  constituted  an  unlawful  and  unfair  method  of  competition  or  an  unfair  or  deceptive  act  or  practice.  Verizon  further  alleged  that  the  actions  of  Rainbow  demonstrated  unlawful  discrimination  by  refusing  to 
 sell  the  programming  to  Verizon.  On  November  1,  2006,  Verizon  filed  a  “Motion  to  Dismiss  Program  Access  Complaint”  and  informed  the  Commission  that  Rainbow  consents  to  the  motion.  Verizon  states 
 that  on  October  30,  2006,  the  parties  reached  a  mutually  agreeable  settlement  under  which  Rainbow  agreed  to  provide  Verizon  carriage  rights  for  the  RSNs.  Verizon  further  states  that  the  parties  generally 
 agreed  to  release  each  other  from  claims  related  to  the  dispute,  while  reserving  their  rights  with  respect  to  disputes  arising  from  programming  not  specifically  subject  to  the  agreement.  Verizon  states  that  as  part 
 of  the  settlement,  it  has  agreed  to  withdraw  its  Complaint  against  Rainbow  with  prejudice. 


 1  47  U.  S.  C.  §  548(  b);  see  47  C.  F.  R.  §  76.  1001. 
 2  47  U.  S.  C.  §  548(  c)(  2)(  B);  see  47  C.  F.  R.  §  76.  1002(  b). 
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 Federal  Communications  Commission  DA  06-  2292 
 2 
 2.  Accordingly,  Verizon’s  Motion  to  Dismiss  is  GRANTED  and  its  program  access  complaint  against  Cablevision  Systems  Corporation  and  Rainbow  Media  Holdings,  LLC  IS  DISMISSED 
 WITH  PREJUDICE. 
 3.  This  action  is  taken  pursuant  to  authority  delegated  by  Section  0.283  of  the  Commission’s  rules.  3 


 FEDERAL  COMMUNICATIONS  COMMISSION 
 Steven  A.  Broeckaert  Deputy  Chief,  Policy  Division 
 Media  Bureau 


 3  47  C.  F.  R.  §  0.283. 
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