DirecTV Fights NAB Request at FCC
Satellite-TV Provider Urges Federal Communications Commission to Use Staggered Timetable for Delivery of HD Signals in All 210 Markets
By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 3/11/2008 6:28:00 AM
DirecTV told the Federal Communications Commission Monday that the National Association of Broadcasters was "attempting to use the digital transition as a vehicle to impose additional mandates on others."
That came in response to what the satellite-TV provider said was the NAB's request that the FCC require direct-broadcast satellite operators to deliver HD signals of TV stations in all 210 markets ASAP, rather than on the staggered timetable offered by DirecTV and Dish Network.
"The commission should not reject the aggressive consensus schedule devised by DirecTV and Dish Network in favor of the NAB’s unrealistic proposal," DirecTV said.
FCC chairman Kevin Martin has been advocating applying the carry-one, carry-all analog-carriage regime to digital, including HD signals. He has said that he is open to considering waivers for capacity-constraint issues, adding that he recognized that satellite has capacity issues not shared by cable.
The FCC last fall required cable to carry the HD signals of must-carry TV stations after the DTV transition.
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Since 2001, digital-only television station and HD pioneer WHDT-DT
has been broadcasting an HD signal OTA to the public. Via a waiver
permitting signal degradation to SD, WHDT's programming can also be
seen on the cable systems serving West Palm Beach, Florida. It took a
full Commission vote and an FCC order before any local cable operator
would carry WHDT at all. Today, neither satellite operator carries WHDT
on their local-into-local TV service. Not in SD, not in HD. Yet they both
find capacity to offer lots of paid HD programming. Now the satellite
operators want until 2013 to carry local TV stations' signals without
signal degradation to SD. That's 12 years of either degradation or no
carriage at all. You've got to be kidding! Why not make it 2113.
Günter Marksteiner, licensee WHDT-DT.
Günter Marksteiner - 3/11/2008 5:10:00 PM EDT -
ALSO, N.A.B. DAVID K. REHR IS LOOKING AT WAYS TO RUN DBS INTO THE GROUND. ALONG WITH THERE NEW ISSUE OVER DVR TOO. N.A.B. PEOPLE WILL FIND GOOD WAYS TO FORCE IT UPON FCC AND CONGRESS, TO ACCEPT. DISABLE DVR FAST-FORWARD, AND LACK OF TV REVENUE. MORE DAMMING THINGS, I MIGHT SAY pushing 210 market's abruptly is differcult. rUNNING THEM INTO THE GROUND.
Tom - 3/11/2008 12:46:00 PM EDT -
WHEN KERO TV 23.1 said they said, O.K. a free hd channels nice thru DirecTV or Dish Network become free, but all this wasted bandwidth and satellite spectrum. And they wanting people to pick them up offa off air antennae. Only 15% can't get there local hd, so they should be allowed to pick up distant hd nets, unserved area. N.A.B. is unfair to DBS providers and unfair to sat-rad on there sanctions.
Tom - 3/11/2008 12:38:00 PM EDT
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