Cable Ops Want To Tier Retrans Stations

Mid-sized cable operators ask FCC to move retrans stations off the must-buy tier as one way to reform retransmission consent process

By John Eggerton -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/19/2010 11:29:57 AM

A group of mid-sized cable operators have asked the FCC to move retrans stations off the must-buy tier as one of the ways to reform the retransmission consent process.

That came in a filing May 18 at the FCC, which is seeking comment on what, if any, changes to make to the retransmission consent regime. The operators making the pitch were Massillon Cable TV, WaveDivision Holdings, NPG Cable Inc., the Comporium Group, and Harron Communications.

They say that allowing cable operators to place "for-pay retransmission consent signals" on a separate, non-mandatory, tier would allow customers to not pay for broadcast channels. Currently, both must-carry and retrans stations must be offered on the basic tier, while operators have the freedom to place cable channels on different tiers.

"For there to be truly a free market, television broadcast stations that require a free for retransmission should be treated no better than any satellite acble programmer and should lose all rights to be carried on the mandatory basic tier."

The operators also want the FCC to get rid of the network nonduplication and syndicated exclusivity rules so that cable operators have an alternative. Those rules prevent competing network affiliates or syndicated programs to be imported into markets in competition to local stations with the same content.