Reps seeking changes to retransmission rules

Reps Steve Israel (D-NY) and Pete King (R-NY) have circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter promoting changes to retransmission consent rules, a contentious set of regulations governing negotiations between broadcasters and paid distributors such as cable and satellite operators.

Outdated rules, the letter says, "are doing harm to consumers." "The real losers under the existing retransmission consent system are television viewers, who either lose access to broadcast programming or must bear the increased costs of such programming in the form of higher cable and satellite rates," the letter said. Cable and satellite operators say broadcasters have too much power in fee negotiations because they can pull their content. The broadcasters argue that paid television depends on broadcast programming and so it is reasonable for TV stations to have the power to negotiate their compensation. The "Dear Colleague" urges members to sign a letter to the Federal Communications Commission asking for a rulemaking process to amend the regulations. Increasingly, the letter to the FCC says, "these negotiations are breaking down."