Martin Shopping New Must-Carry Plan

MARTIN SHOPPING NEW MUST-CARRY PLAN
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
In a new must-carry proposal from Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin, cable operators would be forced to carry the programming of certain “eligible entities” that had leased excess spectrum from local digital-TV stations. Under Martin’s new plan, the leasing of spectrum by qualified entities would be voluntary for TV stations, but carriage of the programming would be compulsory for cable operators. Eligible entities would need to comply with public-interest obligations that apply to TV stations, including indecency and children’s television rules. Chairman Martin’s goal is for the FCC to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to select entities that would be allowed to lease the spectrum and obtain cable-carriage privileges. His preference is to limit eligibility to new entrants and small businesses to keep the program race neutral. It's doubtful that broadcasters will rush to embrace Martin's idea. Digital-TV stations were hoping that multicast-must-carry mandates would entitle them to cable carriage of five or six channels. But Martin’s plan would seem to shift the cable-carriage benefits to third-party lessees of digital-TV spectrum. TV stations might need to surrender 5% of their lease revenue to the U.S. Treasury under FCC rules today. “The Chairman wants to do all that he can to facilitate entry by small business and other eligible entities in an already-crowded field of broadcasting,” an FCC official said Tuesday, one week after Martin and his aides began reaching out for support. At one meeting not attended by Chairman Martin, National Cable & Telecommunications Association president Kyle McSlarrow discussed the proposal with Catherine Bohigian, a Martin confidante who is chief of the Office of Strategic Planning and Policy Analysis. Also in attendance were an official from the National Association of Broadcasters and attorney David Honig, executive director of the Minority Media & Telecommunications Council. Honig also met with Chairman Martin separately. Honig said he wanted “to give Martin credit” for trying to “split the difference between broadcasting and cable” on carriage of digital-TV signals, which has been raging for nearly a decade.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6416299.html?display=Breaking+News
* Honig Cheers Martin for Bridging Multicast Must-Carry Divide
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable 2/15, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6416721?display=Breaking+News

FCC MUST END LOCAL HDTV DISPUTES
[SOURCE: TVPredictions.com, AUTHOR: Phillip Swann]
[Commentary] In several cities, including Tucson, St. Louis, New Orleans, Providence, Norfolk, Albuquerque and Indianapolis, local TV stations are refusing to let cable and/or satellite operators offer their high-def signals. The local stations, which are owned by broadcast groups such as Belo, Sinclair and LIN TV, are demanding that the TV providers pay them for the right to carry the HD feeds. If the FCC continues to sit on the sidelines, millions more Americans will be unable to watch their favorite channels in HD, at least for a period of time. This will make high-def owners angry and frustrated, causing them to discourage their friends and neighbors from buying Digital/HDTV sets. And that will make it more difficult for the federal government to get everyone on board for the transition to Digital TV in 2009. The FCC should move immediately to order a binding arbitration in any local dispute over high-def signals. If the local station and TV provider can't reach an agreement, they will have to agree to the arbitration rather than cavalierly pulling the high-def signals off the air.
http://www.tvpredictions.com/fccact021307.htm