Free Press, Consumers Union, PTC Ask FCC to Help Resolve Retrans Disputes

Put Free Press, Consumers Union and the Parents Television Council in the "retransmission consent is broken" category, one which also includes cable operators pushing for reform.

The groups got together to file comments in the Federal Communications Commission's inquiry into retransmission consent. In their filing, the groups ask the FCC to step in to help resolve disputes when retrans negotiations reach an impasse, with industry footing the bill for that outside arbitration. And in a novel route to unbundling and a la carte, they want, as part of dispute resolution, a mechanism for consumers to be able to decline to pay for any channels that have been sold as a bundle. "Consumers should no longer be prisoners of pricey bundles, but should have the freedom to select, pay for and receive in their living rooms only those channels they want," they argued.