Mpls. faces tricky questions over cable TV, Internet competition

The question of whether to allow a second cable TV provider into Minneapolis is setting off a contentious debate.

Comcast currently has a monopoly on the market. It was required to offer service to the entire city, not just wealthier neighborhoods, when it moved in.

Now CenturyLink wants to provide cable TV in the city, and company officials say it should be able to choose which areas it serves.

That's not sitting well with Comcast, which is accusing CenturyLink of trying to skirt state law in its bid to provide service in Minneapolis.

The dispute raises broader questions of how we should regulate TV as content moves increasingly online.

MPR's Phil Picardi spoke with Chris Mitchell, who's with the Minneapolis-based Institute for Local Self-Reliance. He's in Washington this week for the FCC's ruling on net neutrality.