Letter from Senator on Distants

[chastulsa]

Here is a copy of the generic E-mail I got from my OKLA Senator. Anyone else get one from theirs?


Dear Mr. ChasTulsa,

Thank you for contacting me about distant local channels that are offered by satellite TV providers. I appreciate hearing from you.

In 1996, President Clinton signed into law the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act (SHVIA). This law allowed satellite TV providers to offer local broadcast stations to their customers, much like cable providers were allowed to do so when Congress passed the 1996 Copyright Act. The passage of SHVIA was a great benefit to rural satellite customers who are not able to receive local channels by an over-the-air signal or by cable. These local channels provide important news, weather and emergency information to which everyone should have access.

A recent federal appeals court decision found satellite TV provider EchoStar, the owner of Dish Network, was violating SHVIA as it relates to providing distant local channels. The law states satellite TV providers can only provide distant local signals to customers who receive no other broadcast stations over the air. The court decision notes EchoStar was providing illegal distant local service for the major networks to approximately 25 percent of its customers. It's important to note this court decision does not prevent satellite TV providers from offering local network affiliates to their customers.

I am in support of the laws created by SHVIA which allow satellite TV to carry local channels to their customers for free. However, I see no reason why Congress should change SHVIA to allow satellite TV providers to carry distant local channels in areas where there is coverage from a local network affiliate. Local stations broadcast copyrighted material, and if a satellite TV provider wants to transmit their signal to other markets they should have to pay royalty fees to the broadcaster.

EchoStar is currently working to reach an agreement with the more than 800 major network local affiliates in order to retain distant local service. I am in favor of satellite TV providers and broadcast stations coming to an agreement on distant local service as opposed to a congressional solution. However, if there is legislation offered to remedy this situation, I will keep your thoughts in mind.

Thank you again for contacting me about this issue. Please feel free to contact me in the future with any other questions or concerns you might have.

Sincerely, A
Tom A. Coburn, M.D.
United States Senator

TC: mu

 

[Yo Howdy]

I got one from one of my Senators in Maine but it was one of those that made it clear they didn't care as the response was totally unrelated to the issue. I threw it in the garbage. Even though your Senator said he wasn't going to help, at least he sent you the correct form letter.

 

[osu1991]

Yeah I got a similar email from Coburn a few weeks ago. He made no mention of the fact that Oklahoma residents in southeastern Ok have no local ABC or Fox or WB(cw). He went on and on supporting the local broadcasters rights, Unless you have a digital receiver there are only NBC and CBS from Ada/Sherman. Fox and CW are available on subchannels now but need a digital receiver. This is the reason I keep my directv hd receiver just for the hd and sd distants. I take my dish receiver with me on weekends if I want local sports or something from the Tulsa locals.

 

[BobaBird]

... and if a satellite TV provider wants to transmit their signal to other markets they should have to pay royalty fees to the broadcaster.

Some form of this will be accepatable.

Please encourage the parties involved to expand their business model to include viewers as customers rather than voiceless property. The "property" is starting to recognize that their local stations aren't serving them as well as they could be. Other parts of the property is realizing that it is possible to deliver out of market stations. I would hope that you would sponsor any enabling legislation that may be needed to allow this to happen.

 

[cj9788]

E-mail your rep back and let him know that there is a settlement but the lone hold is FOX, do not forget to mentioned who owns fox and remind your elected officail that the settlement he mentioned is being obstruced by E*'s competition!

 

[joedekock]

Sounds like this senator is in support of the bill that was passed in 1996, and does not care what you think. Typical attitude of a politicain. They have their own agenda. Even though they work for you, or the majority.

 

[VinceT3]

I got one response which was about the al-a-cart cable stuff which had nothing to do with the message I sent. Needless to say they're all getting two less votes this year.

 

[waltinvt]

Well the main thing is to get an investigation started. Once that happens it will get real press attention and then an organized ground-swell by rural satellite customers might at least get heard.

Who knows what will happen. It can't hurt and maybe we'll get something out of it.

Even if congress just forced the FCC to come up with a better method of predicting decent digital reception and required a reasonable burden of proof to be on the affiliates for a change - that would be a start.