NAB Puts Retrans Stance on DisplayJuly 22, 2010
WASHINGTON: The National Association of Broadcasters
enlisted advertising in the brewing retransmission fight. The NAB took out a
display ad in Capitol Hill newspaper Politico.
It quotes Time Warner Cable and Cablevision executives saying retransmission is
working.
“The best way to achieve results is to privately seek a resolution and not
attempt to negotiate through the press or elected officials,” TWC chief Glenn
Britt is quoted saying to
The Washington
Post.
An observation that retrans costs would not likely be shifted to customers
is attributed to Cablevision’s chief operating officer, Tom Rutledge, as
reported by Multichannel News.
“We couldn’t agree more,” the NAB ad says.
The ad represents the latest volley in an escalating battle over retransmission
consent law. The law allows broadcasters to charge cable and satellite
operators fees for TV signals. Additional legislation prevents those pay TV
providers from carrying the signal of another station when talks break down.
Carriers are fighting tooth-and-nail to alter a provision in retransmission law
allowing broadcasters to pull signals when contracts expire during
negotiations. The Federal Communications Commission has elected to leave
retrans as it is, but the cable industry is
petitioning
the agency to open the issue for a rulemaking.
The NAB ad implores lawmakers to not sign a letter circulated by New York
Congressmen Steve Israel and Peter King calling for reform.
“There’s no need to fix what isn’t broken,” the
NAB ad says. “Don’t sign
the King-Israel letter asking to tilt the scales in favor of cable TV.”
--
Deborah D. McAdams
See...
July 22, 2010: “Lawmakers Urge FCC to
Revision Retransmission”
Another Washington, D.C. lawmaker has asked FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski to
revisit retransmission consent rules as a fight brews between two TV
powerhouses.
July 20, 2010
: “New York
Retrans Fight Goes to D.C.”
A movement in New York to dismantle retransmission consent rules reached
Capitol Hill, where two of the state’s representatives are calling for reform.
July 15, 2010
: “New York
Broadcasters Band Against City’s Retrans Proposal”
Broadcasters in New York are fighting a proposed City Council resolution to
ask Congress for a repeal of retransmission consent law.
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