Program Access on FCC Agenda

PROGRAM ACCESS ON FCC AGENDA
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
The Federal Communications Commission is making plans to review its program-access rules, which generally require cable operators to sell their satellite-delivered networks to DirecTV, EchoStar Communications and other pay TV providers. The FCC last looked at the rules in 2002, one decade after program-access provisions were enacted as part of the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992. Congress imposed forced-sale mandates on cable to ensure that the satellite-TV providers could gain access to cable channels that were too expensive for new entrants to duplicate. Four years ago, the FCC examined the cable-programming market and concluded that it would not use its discretion to allow the cable-exclusivity ban to sunset. Instead, the commission extended the ban until October 2007, setting up the review it has nearing the launch pad. The Commission has two open meetings planned in November: the first is Friday followed by a second meeting November 9.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6386692.html?display=Breaking+News