[opendtv] News: Cable might not have to carry multicast channels
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: OpenDTV Mail List <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2005 07:30:42 -0500
Posted 1/26/2005 11:35 PM
Cable might not have to carry multicast channels
By Paul Davidson, USA TODAY
Federal regulators appear set to rule that cable companies need not
carry the multiple channels that broadcasters are beaming in digital
TV.
The staff of the Federal Communications Commission has recommended
that the agency deny a broadcaster's petition to require cable
companies to carry the extra channels, FCC officials say.
The petition, opposed by Chairman Michael Powell, lacks support from
a majority of the commission, officials say. But the officials
cautioned that it's possible sentiment on the panel could change
before it votes next month.
With high-definition TV sales surging, 1,400 stations are
broadcasting some shows digitally. Many are sending high-definition
pictures.
But a growing number are instead "multicasting"- chopping their
digital streams into several separate channels.
Of the nation's 1,700 broadcast stations, 491 are multicasting, up
from 213 a year ago, says Decisionmark, a media technology company.
They are producing such fare as 24-hour local news and weather, live
coverage of political debates and regional sports. WRAL, the CBS
affiliate in Raleigh, N.C., airs an all-news channel that televised
the murder trial of a former city councilman while CBS aired its
daytime lineup.
To view the programs, consumers must have a digital TV or subscribe
to the digital tier of a cable system that carries the channels. Most
of the channels are not on cable.
Broadcasters argue that a law that forces cable systems to transmit
their main channel also forces them to carry the multicast offerings.
Several say they'll ditch multicasting plans without that guarantee.
But cable operators say the law requires transmission of a
broadcaster's "primary video," meaning the main channel only.
A multicast "must-carry" rule would not take effect until after a
broadcaster returns its analog channel. The government can reclaim a
broadcaster's analog channel once 85% of homes in a market can
receive digital signals - a threshold that could take decades to
reach. Still, the must-carry rule would empower stations in talks
with cable systems now.
Ken Ferree, who heads the FCC's media bureau, has backed a must-carry rule.
But Powell cooled to the idea after broadcasters refused to embrace
his plan to speed the digital TV transition, FCC officials say.
Powell's plan would reach the 85% threshold by 2009 by counting all
cable-TV households. Cable systems would have to convert digital
signals to analog for analog TV owners. Broadcasters argue that would
discourage consumers from buying digital TVs.
But the FCC is unlikely to vote on Powell's plan because Congress
wants to take on the issue.
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