Harold has the story at Public Knowledge today. He's hoping the FCC might require Time Warner to practice net neutrality. Don't hold your breath.
In case you haven't been paying attention, Cleveland and many other NEO communities are part of Time Warner's piece of this deal. Cleveland City Council's Public Utilities Committee (chaired by Ward 17's Matt Zone) should soon be getting Time Warner's formal application for City approval of the takeover and renewal of the local franchise, which expires in September.
How much authority the City will ultimately have in this matter is up to Congress, but under current law there's a lot to talk about, so Council's franchise hearings could be a big deal. Some of the issues: cable rates and programming, the future of public access (Time Warner has started to charge a $25 fee for citizens to run a program on Akron's public channel), future support for the Neighborhood Technology Fund and other community benefits. Also expect the Communications Workers to make a stink about Time Warner's anti-unionism.
Presumably Time Warner's goal will be to shuck off as much of this civic-obligation stuff as possible, and get on with locking down all corners of the local pay-TV market before AT&T makes its move with LightSpeed. Expect to hear a great deal of blather about how competitive the cable market is about to become, and how unfair it is to ask Time Warner to do anything in exchange for the use of city streets and poles, other than make as much money as possible.