Comcast Logic: A New Broadcast TV Fee

       Comcast’s most recent rate increase adds a new line item to the bill: a Broadcast TV Fee.  In the company’s typical doublespeak, this charge works to “identify some of the rising costs of retransmitting broadcast television signals.” 

        Some, but apparently not much.  Comcast magnanimously pulls out the initial $1.50 Broadcast TV Fee from its Limited Basic service fee, reducing the figure to $15.75.  The majority of the channels on Limited Basic represent broadcast channels, so the Broadcast TV Fee is not really reflecting much of the total costs.

        Could it be Comcast thinks consumers are so stupid that they cannot add the new Broadcast TV Fee with increases in other service tiers to calculate actual cost increases?  Given the lack of interest and aptitude in math maybe the company can fool consumers into thinking the company hasn’t just raised rates by about 10% what with 4% or so allocable to those greedy broadcasters like Comcast's NBC.