February 22, 1994 

                 FCC FILES BRIEF CHALLENGING REQUEST FOR
                    STAY OF FREEZE ON CABLE REVENUES

     The FCC today opposed efforts by Intermedia Partners
(Intermedia) and the Cable Telecommunications Association (CATA) to
require the FCC to lift its freeze on cable television rate
increases.

     On February 11, 1994, Intermedia and CATA filed an Emergency
Motion for Stay and Injunctive Relief requesting the U.S. Court of
Appeals to stay the FCC's decision to extend the freeze on cable
television rate increases until May 15, 1994, when new rate
regulations announced today will have become effective.  If the
stay were granted, it would permit cable companies to charge their
subscribers higher rates before the new rules become effective.

     In its opposition to the Emergency Motion, the FCC argued that
the stay is essential to protect consumers from unreasonable rate
increases until cities and other franchising authorities have the
opportunity to begin regulating basic cable rates under the rules
announced today.

     The FCC's opposition also notes that Intermedia and CATA
failed to demonstrate to the court that the extension of the freeze
has caused them irreparable harm sufficient to justify the
extraordinary relief requested.  The FCC told the court that, at
best, the petitioners have shown only that the freeze may have
caused "narrowing profit margins previously established in an
unregulated, typically monopoly, environment."

     The FCC also pointed out that it has repeatedly announced that
it would entertain petitions for waiver of the freeze, in
individual cases, in which cable operators can demonstrate that the
freeze is causing severe hardship or threatens the viability of
continued provision of cable service.  Of approximately 11,000
cable operators, only five have filed such petitions; none were
filed by the petitioners in this case.


                                  (over)





                                    -2-

     The FCC also argued in its opposition that the petitioners
have overlooked the important public interest benefits of the
freeze.  The FCC stated that "Petitioners...give no consideration
to the disruptive effect on both local franchising authorities and
cable subscribers of lifting the freeze before the rate regulation
rules have been finalized."

     Several organizations representing cities and other
franchising authorities filed briefs in support of the FCC's
position today, including the National League of Cities, the
National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors,
the National Association of Counties and the state attorneys
general of the states of Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii,
Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Oregon,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont and Florida. 

     In addition, the New York  Attorney General filed separately. 

  -FCC-


     News Media contact:  Susan Lewis Sallet at (202) 632-5050.
     Office of the General Counsel contact:  Richard Welch at
(202) 632-6990.