Martin Willing To Revisit 'Must Carry' Ruling

MARTIN WILLING TO REVISIT 'MUST CARRY' RULING
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: Drew Clark]
Speaking at the annual conference of the National Association of Broadcasters, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin expressed a willingness to reconsider and reverse an agency decision last year that was a key setback for broadcasters in the transition to digital television. Former FCC Chairman Michael Powell spearheaded the February 2005 decision to reject broadcasters' request that cable operators carry all digital multicasting programs transmitted over the air. Three other commissioners also backed it; then-Commissioner Martin did not. "That is one of the issues that I think was a missed opportunity for the commission," Chairman Martin said while discussing a range of issues, including digital television, with NAB Chairman Bruce Reese. "If a majority was willing to look at that, I think that that would be an important opportunity to address before 2009." He also said, "I continue to think that the public would benefit from having all those free over-the-air signals carried by the cable industry. I would bring it up if there was a majority of the commission who wanted to end up addressing it, but if there is not a majority, then I wouldn't." [funny, isn't that always how a democracy works?]
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-WHAL1145995902432.html

* Martin Focusing on DTV via Cable
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6327947.html?display=Breaking+News