Satellite TV Hearing Creates Controversy in Congress RE: SHVERA

[HDRoberts]

Hmm, I hope they get what their asking for. Sounds like near enough bandwidth may be cleared just from the ability not have to carry "must carry" infomercial and religious channels.

[branchbouncer]

maybe depending on the efficency of congress, and lobbyists

"efficency of congress" you have got too be kidding

[pfan1981]

with uncle sammy buying/altering mortgages, when is he goin to step in and use gov't satellites to give free tv to everyone with income under $250,000. Everyone else can pay $10,000 for their tv programming.

totally kidding, but with all the regulating they might as well offer it themselves.

pfan

[dennispap]

Charles Ergen testifies before Congress Re: reauth of SHVERA
Charles Ergin testified before Congress on 2/24 at the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet Committee on Energy and Commerce regarding the Reauthorization of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act. He makes some interesting points.

Of particular interest regarding retransmission agreements:

"On retrans reform – a broadcaster used to negotiate with a single cable company and the leverage was relatively equal. But, today, DISH customers are held hostage, as broadcasters play their local monopoly off multiple pay-TV providers. In 2008 alone, consumers lost programming in approximately 15 percent of our markets because of retrans disputes. This is a huge increase over prior years, and the problem keeps getting worse. Today, stations in seven of our markets remain down because of unreasonable demands from Fisher Communications. Yet broadcasters provide the same content for free on the Internet and to those lucky enough to live within the shrinking areas of digital over-the-air coverage.

Because the broadcasters got their spectrum for free, I still think retrans should be free – but I understand I’m in the minority on that. So, first option, create a national retrans rate, which would apply to all broadcasters and all pay-TV providers. Treat a monopoly like a monopoly. Satellite providers already pay a fixed, per-subscriber copyright royalty rate, and I see no reason why a similar concept can’t work for retrans. Or, second option, create an actual market. If a broadcaster threatens to drop programming, pay-TV providers should be able to bring in a nearby affiliate to fill the gap. Consumers should never have to wonder what happened to Sunday Night Football."

Full testimony here:


http://energycommerce.house.gov/Pres...mony_ergen.pdf

[Rangers484]

How will I continue to blame him when he a makes a such reasonable, well thought out argument?

[dfergie]

Merged and renamed...

[HDRoberts]

Merged and renamed...

This thread is largely on the same subject, too:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-net...ncentives.html

[dfergie]

This thread is largely on the same subject, too:
http://www.satelliteguys.us/dish-net...ncentives.html

Got it... Thanks

[jself1982]

I hope they get this passed!

[Cyclone]

How will I continue to blame him when he a makes a such reasonable, well thought out argument?

This is the internet. Dig down, I know that you can do it.