In one of two votes under a Sept. 4 congressional deadline (the other the launch of retrans negotiation rules), the FCC has voted to allow satellite operators to modify their markets to carry TV stations of significant interest to their viewers.
"In certain multistate Designated Market Areas (“DMAs”), satellite subscribers located in out-of-state counties within a DMA are sometimes unable to receive in-state broadcast television stations and therefore may lack access to in-state news, sports, public affairs, political information, and emergency information," the FCC said. "The STELAR Act addresses this so-called “orphan county” problem by allowing the Commission to modify, upon the request of a television station, satellite operator, or county government, a particular commercial television broadcast station’s local television market to add or delete communities to better reflect market realities."
broadcastingcable.com
"In certain multistate Designated Market Areas (“DMAs”), satellite subscribers located in out-of-state counties within a DMA are sometimes unable to receive in-state broadcast television stations and therefore may lack access to in-state news, sports, public affairs, political information, and emergency information," the FCC said. "The STELAR Act addresses this so-called “orphan county” problem by allowing the Commission to modify, upon the request of a television station, satellite operator, or county government, a particular commercial television broadcast station’s local television market to add or delete communities to better reflect market realities."
broadcastingcable.com
