DirecTV Fears New FCC TV Carriage Mandates

DirecTV is fighting a proposed regulation from the Federal Communications Commission related to the duplicative carriage of digital TV stations signals in high-definition and standard-definition formats. A few months ago, the FCC adopted a local market rule that requires DirecTV and Dish Network to carry all stations transmitting in HD if they elected to carry even one station transmitting in HD. However, full implementation is phased in over four years following the Feb. 17, 2009 DTV transition. In addition to that mandate, the FCC is now proposing a rule under which satellite carriers would be required, in DirecTV's words, to “carry all local broadcast stations in both HD and SD format if the signals of any local station in the same market are carried in both HD and SD.” In a filing Wednesday, DirecTV told the FCC that the proposal was burdensome, highly likely a violation of the First Amendment, and resolved by letting satellite subscribers upgrade their set-top box equipment.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6567436.html?nid=4262