Is Digital TV Must-Carry a Must-Giveaway?
Should the FCC grant broadcasters multi-channel digital must-carry rights on cable TV--and if so, what public interest obligations should be tied to these valuable rights?
- In-Person
- New America
740 15th St NW #900
Washington, D.C. 20005 - 11:12AM EDT
The FCC will decide soon whether to grant broadcasters “must-carry” rights on cable systems for the five or more channels of digital programming they will soon be able to transmit over the air. Rights to such cable carriage are worth tens of billions of dollars. Why should the broadcasting industry get something for free that every other cable/satellite channel must pay for? Should the broadcasters give something in return? Will digital must-carry rights really speed the broadcast DTV transition (thus speeding the return of the second free channel each station received for the DTV transition – spectrum worth tens of billions of dollars to taxpayers)? Will digital must-carry really save “free TV” (thus saving the poor from having to go without TV)? A panel of media experts debate the “must-carry” question, and present what may be better policy solutions to achieve the stated ends of must-carry.
Location
Washington, DC, 20009
See map: Google Maps
Participants
- Adam Thierer
Director, Telecommunications Studies, Cato Institute - Jeffrey Chester
Executive Director,
Center for Digital Democracy - Steve Effros
Former President, Cable Television Association - John Lawson
President and CEO, Association of Public Television Stations - J.H. Snider
Research Director, New America Foundation