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/ 07.28.2010 1:00PM
Retransmission Letters Fly on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON: Retransmission is becoming a popular topic of
correspondence on Capitol Hill. Lawmakers are circulating letters among
colleagues and firing them off to the FCC. They are asking the agency to open
an inquiry into the rules governing satellite and cable carriage ob broadcast signals.
Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, (D-N.Y.) joined her colleagues Reps. Steve Israel
(D-N.Y.) and Peter King, (R-N.Y.) in circulating a letter in the House calling
for retrans reform. Maloney also implored FCC chief Julius Genachowski to do
likewise in a July 24 letter.
“I am writing on behalf of the millions of New Yorkers who have been and may be
negatively affected by retransmission consent disputes between local broadcast
stations and multichannel video programming distributors,” she wrote. “Specifically,
cable operators and broadcasters in New York are engaged in complex
negotiations to renew existing retransmission consent agreements, some of which
are scheduled to expire this summer.”
Said pending expiration is between Time Warner Cable and Disney. The
retransmission contract between the two ends Sept. 2.
“If these agreements are not renewed, important programming for many New
Yorkers could be dramatically affected. It is not fair to punish consumers for
the failure of these companies to reach an agreement, which is why I urge you
to take whatever steps are necessary to protect consumers, including my
constituents, from losing any programming as a result of these negotiations,”
Maloney wrote to Genachowski.
“Finally, I also encourage the commission to move as quickly as possible to
update its retransmission consent rules to ensure that consumers will be
protected during future renewal negotiations.”
The “Dear Colleague” letter from King and Hill went out as the New York City
Council considered a resolution to ask Congress to intervene in retrans.
Broadcasters in New York and Washington implored the New York contingent to
leave well enough alone. (
See “New York Retrans Fight
Goes to D.C.”) The King-Hill missive is reported to have signatures of
just 13 of the House’s 435 members, according to The
Hill.
Reps. Gene Green (D-Texas) and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) also circulated a
“Dear Colleague” letter urging restraint, according to John Eggerton at Multichannel
News.
A handful of legislators weighed in on the FCC docket related to a retrans
petition from several multichannel video providers. Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)
wrote to Genchowski July 19 asking simply for a review, rather than reform.
“To be clear, we are not choosing sides in this matter nor are we advocating a
specific resolution,” he said.
The FCC has thus far given no indication it will overhaul retransmission
consent rules.
-- Deborah D. McAdams
See..
July 22, 2010: “Lawmakers Urge FCC to
Revisit Retransmission”
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) wrote a letter to Genachowski dated July 19,
requesting a review. Blunt says he’s not choosing horses, but he does want a
race.
July 15, 2010
: “New
York Broadcasters Band Against City’s Retrans Proposal”
“As broadcast stations serving New York City and the metropolitan area, we are
deeply concerned about the resolutions and the impact the proposed changes to
federal policy could have for New York City area residents.”
July 14, 2010
: “Pay
TV Alliance Formed to Fight Retrans”
The fight over retransmission consent escalated today when a group of pay TV
providers joined forces to prohibit broadcasters from pulling signals.
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