CBS Affiliates to FCC: You Don't Have Authority To Remake Retransmission

On May 25 affiliate television stations of the CBS network meet with Federal Communications Commission officials to argue that the FCC lacks the authority to adopt changes proposed in a petition by Time Warner and other top cable operators, satellite and telephone companies on retransmission consent.

Those proposed changes include independent arbitration and preventing signals from being pulled during retransmission impasses. They argued the petition was meant to "thwart" a fair process that is working. They warned the FCC to look out for cable operators who might decide to drag their feet to make their point about a process they argue is broken and in need of fixing. The affiliates "noted that carriers may have an incentive as a result of the pending Petition for Rulemaking to cause an impasse with broadcasters in order to
advance their call for retransmission consent reform."