Rewarding Operators for Letting Subs Block Content

REWARDING OPERATORS FOR LETTING SUBS BLOCK CONTENT
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
A Senate amendment for which no lawmaker has claimed responsibility would give the Federal Communications Commission authority to impose a block-and-rebate system on cable and satellite TV providers. Block-and-rebate is the hottest new concept in the debate over what to do about children seeing sex and violence on cable TV. Until recently, cable critics wanted subscribers to pick channels on an a la carte basis, an opt-in model. Under block-and-rebate, consumers would presumably need to buy a tier and then opt-out of disfavored channels. A distinction without a difference? Who knows. Lobbyists who obtained a copy of the amendment said FCC chairman Kevin Martin’s staff drafted it and began shopping it in the Senate in an effort to attach it to the agency’s annual budget, which comes before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6459516.html?rssid=196