[opendtv] Re: NAB, MSTV applaud FCC must-carry proposal for DTV transition

From: "Manfredi, Albert E" <albert.e.manfredi@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Tue, 24 Jul 2007 11:04:59 -0400

Craig Birkmaier wrote:

>> My position all along has been that the broadcasters should
>> only insist on must-carry of the digital signal. Let the cable
>> companies decide whether to offer an analog tier or D/A STBs
>> for their analog subscribers. And trust that the analog set
>> subscribers will take matters into their own hands if the
>> cable companies don't provide them a usable signal one way or
>> the other.
>
> This sounds more like the cable industry position. I am
> confused why Bert thinks the NCTA is being disingenuous, when
> he supports their position?

Perhaps, as you suggest later, the better word is "conflicted."

It makes good sense for broadcasters to insist on a *minimal* set of
demands, rather than asking for more than they absolutely need. It makes
sense for organizations to avoid gratuitous complaints to the FCC.

The NCTA on the one hand is fighting tooth and nail against generic STBs
and against CableCard. And on the other hand, the NCTA complains that
the digital transition will cost it a lot of money to make their signal
compatible with analog sets. I'm referring specifically to this article,
which was highlighted in the previous one:

http://broadcastengineering.com/RF/ncta-fcc-dtv-transition-0718/

And here's the offending quote:

"The NCTA said the option of converting all delivery to digital 'is
effectively no option at all' because it would mean cable subscribers
would have to pay for and attach a set-top box to the 126 million analog
sets that are estimated to still be in use as of the February 2009
transition. Doing so would cost an estimated $6.3 billion - more than
four times greater than the $1.5 billion the federal government has set
aside to pay for the set-top boxes over-the-air viewers will need
continue using their analog sets post transition.

"Thus, the approach that requires cable operators to carry a must-carry
broadcaster in both analog and digital 'is in effect the only proposed
rule,' it said. The NCTA reminded the commission that the FCC has twice
before rejected a dual carriage obligation on constitutional grounds,
which are 'not even hinted at' in the notice."

So again, let the cable companies decide how to meet the needs of analog
customers. But at the same time, the NCTA has to understand that its own
efforts are creating a bigger problem in this regard, and that's why it
sounds disingenuous (or conflicted) when it keeps complaining. They
could avoid a lot of expense if they (a) supported CableCard, and (b)
allowed consumers to buy the digital STB of their own choice.

> Cable is only trying to slow down the transition to an open
> market for STB devices that can attach to their networks. In
> this they have been strongly supported by "in-house" suppliers
> like Motorola and Scientific Atlanta.

So, accept the cost of going this route. Surely, neither the FCC nor the
consumer should be expected to sympathize.

Bert

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[opendtv] Re: NAB, MSTV applaud FCC must-carry proposal for DTV transition

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