Broadcasters Want Senators To Follow House Telecom Lead

BROADCASTERS WANT SENATORS TO FOLLOW HOUSE TELECOM LEAD
[SOURCE: Technology Daily, AUTHOR: Drew Clark]
The National Association of Broadcasters says its members stand to lose if the telecommunications legislation that cleared the Senate Commerce Committee late last month becomes law -- a position that places yet another powerful interest group against the expansive approach taken by the Senate Commerce panel to overhauling the nation's telecom laws. But because the National Association of Broadcasters says its members would gain from the narrower bill passed by the House in early June, the NAB could become an important player in pushing for a "slimmed-down" version of communications legislation. "The baseline House bill is great for broadcasters because it offers the opportunity for telephone companies to get into video delivery," said NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton. That provides "more competition to cable, and telephone companies are willing to pay retransmission consent," or cash fees for the right to carry local broadcast signals, Wharton added.
http://www.njtelecomupdate.com/lenya/telco/live/tb-ISJP1153251856712.html