Federal Communications Commission	"FCC  XX-XXX"


STATEMENT OF
CHAIRMAN AJIT PAI

Re:	Electronic Delivery of MVPD Communications, MB Docket No. 17-317; Modernization 
of Media Regulation Initiative, MB Docket No. 17-105

One of the main themes of our Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative has been updating the Commission’s rules to reflect our digital world.  And today, we take another step in that direction.  For decades, cable operators have been sending subscribers a panoply of legally required notices on paper through the U.S. Postal Service.  But in the Internet age, such a requirement no longer makes sense.  It is inefficient and environmentally unfriendly.  

So we take a simple, common-sense step that has broad support among commenters:  We allow notices to be sent electronically to a verified e-mail address.  (That said, if consumers still prefer pulp, they can easily opt-out of electronic delivery and still get paper notices.)  In addition, we’d like to learn whether cable operators and subscribers could take advantage of a broader range of electronic delivery options in the future, so we seek comment on additional avenues for receiving notices, such as texts and smartphone apps.  

I’d like to thank Steve Broeckaert, Michelle Carey, Lyle Elder, Martha Heller, Tom Horan, Kim Matthews, Nancy Murphy, Holly Saurer, and Sarah Whitesell from the Media Bureau, and Susan Aaron and Dave Konczal from the Office of General Counsel, for your hard work on yet another media modernization item. 


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