Little Guy Advocate
By BroadCasting & Cable Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/26/2000 7:00:00 PM
Editor: I read with keen interest your report in TV Fax (Nov. 16) on NCTA President Robert Sachs' comments regarding the abolition of must-carry. Mr. Sachs would have us believe that, without exception, broadcasters care only for the money and not for their public-interest obligations; that, if left to themselves, the last thing they would consider is public service. While I agree there are plenty of folks who fit this category, there are also many of us who take seriously our role to educate, inform and entertain the public. Without must-carry regulations, small stations across this country would have little hope of securing necessary cable channel clearances that guarantee survival in a highly competitive industry.
I, for one, am grateful to those in authority who continue to look out for the little guy, though these individuals are fast becoming an endangered species themselves. We need big business in this industry, it is true; but we also must make room for the up-and-comers. Preserving must-carry helps level the playing field, and keeps the door open for men and women of passion to come in. It is often from humble beginnings (and small stations) that true passion springs forth.
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