[opendtv] News: Belo Lobbies to Delay DTV Decision

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA499751.html?display=Breaking+News&referral=SUPP

Belo Lobbies to Delay DTV Decision


By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 1/27/2005 8:37:00 PM

Belo Broadcasting, HDTV pioneer and multicast proponent, is asking 
the House and Senate Commerce Committees to stop the FCC from ruling 
on digital must-carry at its Feb. 10 meeting.

FCC Chairman Michael Powell is now said to have the three votes 
necessary to deny broadcasters both cable carriage of all their 
multicast digital channels and dual analog-digital must-carry during 
the transition to DTV.

In a letter to key Congress members, Belo Chairman Robert Dechard 
said that with Powell leaving and the FCC and commerce committees 
"reorganizing under new leadership," Congress should postpone a 
decision until a new FCC chairman is named.

Broadcasters need multicasting must-carry in order for those 
additional services to be viable, he argues.

"Just today," wrote Decherd on Jan. 26, "Belo's Texas Cable News 
aired live, and in their entirety, President Bush's press conference 
and Texas governor Perry's State of the State address; these are the 
kinds of programming choices that are available in a local 
multicasting environment where local television licensees can make 
choices that serve the public interest."

Decherd concludes: "I urge you to recommend to the FCC that it 
postpone action on this item and allow Congress and the new FCC 
chairman the opportunity to consider comprehensively the many 
significant issues that will impact the transition to digital 
television."







 
 
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