Dozens of Cities Sue FCC Over Get-Out-of-Fees Cable TV Order (1)

Cities from Los Angeles to Boston are fighting a Federal Communications Commission decision they say will cost them millions by letting cable TV providers such as Comcast Corp. partly pay them with services like free air time instead of money.

At least 46 cities are asking federal appeals courts to undo an FCC order they argue will force them to raise taxes or cut spending on local media services, including channels that schools, governments, and the general public can use for programming.

The lawsuits reflect a larger clash of interests among localities, media companies, and the FCC brought on by ...