NAB: Time to Ditch Distant Signal License

The National Association of Broadcasters wants Congress to do away with the distant signal compulsory license that allows satellite operators to import distant TV station network affiliates into their markets.

In prepared testimony for a satellite hearing Sept 10 in a House Judiciary Committee subcommittee, Gerry Waldron, representing NAB, said that the license "has outlived its usefulness and can no longer be justified." NAB says the local-into-local compulsory license, which does not expire, should be enough to handle delivering over-air signals to subscriptions. NAB said the only defense of it would be in hardship cases of making network programming available to a small number of households that otherwise have no access to it. It is that definition of good faith negotiation where retransmission reformers could work in some of their updates. NAB wants none of that.