McSlarrow: Lean On Stations

Congress needs to pressure TV-station owners to postpone cable carriage disputes until after the government-mandated digital television transition in February, according to National Cable & Telecommunications Association president Kyle McSlarrow. Thousands of carriage contracts between cable operators and local TV stations expire at the end of the year. Failure to reach new deals could result in TV stations' pulling signals from cable systems in January, confusing consumers a few weeks before TV stations need to turn off their analog signals on Feb 17, 2009. "I would urge this committee to make clear in unmistakable terms to broadcasters around the country that the digital transition is not business as usual," McSlarrow said in testimony before the House Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Internet Sept 16.