The FCC maintains the cable industry needs more regulation because prices have risen sharply over the past decade.  The flip side is that cable service has expanded greatly over the past decade and the choices for consumers are much greater. 

The Federal Communications Commission is likely to impose a new regulation on the largely unregulated cable television industry, the first of what may be more to come.

Under a proposed rule circulating at the FCC, cable companies such as Comcast and Time Warner Cable would have to slash the price they charge smaller television programmers to lease access on spare cable channels, a move the FCC says would open up cable viewers to a wider diversity of shows.

If the government is truly concerned about cable rates, the franchise agreements should be eliminated with local governments.  Open up the industry to real competition by allowing any provider, whether it is cable, satellite or fios, into the marketplace.

FCC Moves to Place Restrictions on Cable TV - washingtonpost.com