Cable Association Seeks Changes In Compulsory License
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 7/23/2007 6:14:00 AM MT
The American Cable Association (ACA), which represents smaller cable operators, has asked the Copyright Office to modify the compulsory license that covers payments for carriage of TV stations.
In hearings on a Copyright Office inquiry into possible changes in the license regime, ACA said the blanket license was still a good idea, but should be reformed. It outlined four proposals, including no longer paying for retransmitting local TV signals.
Saying the current regime as it stands is burdensome, unfair, unjustified, and irrational, ACA said that in addition to getting rid of blanket payments on local station retransmissions, which satellite carriers don't have to pay for, t the Copyright office should 2) get rid of so-called "market quotas" that limits the number of stations that can be carried; 3) get rid of the "phantom signal" problem in which cable companies have to pay for carrying distant signals, even where those signals don't air; and 4) clarify that Fox TV stations are network, not independent, stations for purposes of carriage rules.
The office is currently holding hearings on the possible changes.
Fox Business Network begins broadcasting from its new high-tech Studio G, overlooking Manhattan from the 3rd floor of News Corp. headquarters, on April 20. B&C got an early peek at the new space.
At Trylon SMR, we are dedicated Public Relations professionals solely serving clients in the media, technology, telecommunications, and related industries. We understand the specialized types of audiences our clients need to reach and the best...
more
Telestream products are used by the world's leading media and entertainment companies and corporations for transcoding and workflow automation. Telestream helps customers transform their media for multiplatform distribution to web, mobile, DVD...
more
Akamai provides market-leading managed services for powering rich media, dynamic transactions, and enterprise applications online. Having pioneered the content delivery market one decade ago, Akamai's services have been adopted by the world's most...
more
Digital Rapids is the leading provider of professional hardware and software tools, technology and expertise for bringing video to wider audiences and new viewing platforms. Continuing to set new standards in quality, productivity and versatility...
more
ESPN, Inc. is the world's leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of over 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of six domestic television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS...
more
