Campaign Legal Center to Martin: More DTV Localism

CAMPAIGN LEGAL CENTER TO MARTIN: MORE DTV LOCALISM
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
TV stations should not receive expanded cable-carriage rights for their digital signals unless the federal government requires them to expand coverage of local civic-affairs and election news, according to the Campaign Legal Center. “Our concern is that they get [multicast] must-carry rights without doing anything more,” Meredith McGehee, policy director of the Campaign Legal Center, said Thursday. The CLC is urging the FCC to withhold expanding must-carry rights if the agency is unwilling at the same time to require digital-TV stations to air three hours per week of programming dedicated to local elections and community issues, such as local environmental conditions. “It would be everything below your presidential race,” McGehee said, referring to expanded local political coverage. In talks with FCC Chairman Martin, McGehee said he has agreed on the need for more public-interest programming but has not endorsed hourly quotas.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6340348.html?display=Breaking+News