[opendtv] News: ACA asks FCC to allow market forces to govern retransmission consent price

Via Broadcast Engineering's Beyond The Headlines Newsletter:

http://broadcastengineering.com/newsletters/bth/20050327/#

ACA asks FCC to allow market forces to govern retransmission consent price  

Mar 27, 2005 8:00 AM, Beyond The Headlines e-newsletter


  The American Cable Association (ACA) has asked the FCC to allow the 
market to determine the price of retransmission consent. 
Specifically, the trade group, which represents small and independent 
cable operators, asked the commission to adjust broadcast exclusivity 
and retransmission consent regulations to reflect marketplace changes 
for broadcasters, consumers and cable companies.

  The cable group wants the FCC to maintain broadcast exclusivity for 
stations that elect must-carry or that do not seek additional payment 
for retransmission consent. It wants the elimination of exclusivity 
when a broadcaster elects retransmission consent and seeks additional 
payment for carriage.

  The ACA asked the FCC to prohibit any party, including a network, 
from preventing a broadcast station from granting retransmission 
consent. Every three years broadcasters can choose must-carry or 
retransmission consent.

  However, according to the ACA, broadcasters use current FCC rules to 
demand payment for carriage and at the same time rely on other FCC 
rules to prevent consumers and their cable providers from shopping 
for lower-cost alternatives. Without reform, the group said, this 
year's broadcast cash demands threaten to add more than $860 million 
to the cost of basic cable.

  The FCC has released the ACA's petition for rulemaking for public comment.

  For more information, visit www.americancable.org and www.fcc.gov.




 
 
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