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More on the LIN/Dish Network carriage dispute and the FCC
Broadcasting & Cable has a good piece about Thursday’s Federal Communications Commission decision to explore revamping rules on arbitration between television networks and the cable and satellite companies that distribute their content.
“The FCC voted unanimously Thursday,” the article says, “to propose several changes to its retransmission consent oversight rules meant to better clarify what bargaining in good faith means, as well as possibly eliminating the syndicated exclusivity and non-duplication rules to give cable operators an alternative source of station programming.”
Cable operators and the American Cable Association have been urging the FCC to take up the issue. When retransmission negotiations reach an impasse, providers are legally obligated to remove a network’s signal from their line-up, which can cause public opinion to turn against the cable or satellite company.
Among other proposals, the FCC is considering granting the ability for cable and satellite providers to negotiate with out-of-market network affiliates to carry their signals in the event of a local blackout. In the ongoing battle between LIN Media (owner of Austin’s NBC affiliate KXAN and The CW outlet KNVA) and Dish Network, a change in this rule would allow Dish to negotiate to carry non-Austin, non-LIN-owned NBC and The CW affiliates here in Austin.
The LIN/Dish carriage dispute could result in KXAN and KNVA disappearing from the Dish Network line-up as early as midnight tonight should a new contract not be agreed upon. The FCC urged the parties to reach an agreement and stressed that its vote to reconsider rules for retransmission negotiation should not be taken as justification for foot-dragging by either party.
Find more details in the full article here and watch the TV Blog for any breaking news on the LIN/Dish retransmission dispute throughout the day.
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