AETN, the statewide PBS affiliate in Arkansas, carries a service called Arkansas Radio Reading Service for the Blind on its SAP audio channel. I have E* with Little Rock locals. While watching the local AETN channel via E* during the Democratic convention, I tried looking for this service via the alternate audio streams; but both Alternate and Spanish were silent. I didn't bother checking the other languages; it's best filed under Alternate, but since SAP is most commonly used for Spanish audio tracks, I checked there as well. I also know the Little Rock CBS affiliate uses SAP to carry one of its newscasts in Spanish, but I haven't tried that yet on E*.
If this were a cable system, I could complain to the FCC; cable systems must rebroadcast the MTS carrier (stereo and SAP) of every analog TV station. The FCC imposed that requirement years ago when stereo-TV owners complained their local cable systems turned their TVs into paperweights by retransmitting only mono sound.
I know satellite has different rules (which is proper--its digital signal is superior to analog MTS), but is there a similar requirement that satellite LIL carry the stereo and SAP sound channels of every local station? And if the satellite company carries a local station's stereo track (almost a certainty) but not its SAP track, wouldn't that violate the non-discrimination rules for LIL must-carry under SHVIA?
Not that I want to run directly to the FCC; I think I can get E* to work it out privately, especially with AETN (since they now have a statewide retransmission deal). But I'd have more oomph to get them to talk if I can threaten to report E* to the FCC.
If this were a cable system, I could complain to the FCC; cable systems must rebroadcast the MTS carrier (stereo and SAP) of every analog TV station. The FCC imposed that requirement years ago when stereo-TV owners complained their local cable systems turned their TVs into paperweights by retransmitting only mono sound.
I know satellite has different rules (which is proper--its digital signal is superior to analog MTS), but is there a similar requirement that satellite LIL carry the stereo and SAP sound channels of every local station? And if the satellite company carries a local station's stereo track (almost a certainty) but not its SAP track, wouldn't that violate the non-discrimination rules for LIL must-carry under SHVIA?
Not that I want to run directly to the FCC; I think I can get E* to work it out privately, especially with AETN (since they now have a statewide retransmission deal). But I'd have more oomph to get them to talk if I can threaten to report E* to the FCC.
