TVFreedom.org: Retrans Proposal Misses Mark

Broadcasters represented by TVFreedom.org aren't liking what they see in the retransmission consent revamp floated by the leadership of the Senate Commerce Committee.

Committee chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and ranking member Sen John Thune (R-SD) wanted to leave broadcasters and cable operators something to think about before the committee comes up with its version of the bill renewing the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA). That came in the form of a proposal to allow multichannel video programming distributors' subcribers to decide whether they want to pay the per-sub price for retransmission stations.

The proposal would essentially end retransmission negotiations between TV stations and cable ops, allowing viewers to decide which stations they wanted to have and pay for -- must carry stations would still have to be carried.