Birds Keep Feeding Distant Signals
By Bill McConnell -- Broadcasting & Cable, 6/3/2004 2:37:00 PM
The House Commerce Committee Thursday approved legislation that would renew through 2009 satellite-TV carriers' right to import out-of-town network feeds to subscribers who don't get acceptable signals from their local affiliates.
It would also give satellite companies a year to phase out their controversial two-dish policy.
As expected, Echostar and DirecTV would be forced to stop selling imported channels once they add local stations to the channel lineup in market.
The FCC also would be ordered to study whether to allow DBS companies to import digital version of networks feeds, something satellite companies and some activist groups have been pushing for.
The Commerce Committee bill also gives Echostar one year to phase out its practice of dividing local channels between two dishes.
Broadcasters complain the practice hurts independent stations that are mostly relegated to the second dish because satellite subscribers frequently don't bother to have it installed.
The House and Senate Judiciary Committee are expected to approve the legislation next week and aren't expected to make major changes to the House Commerce Committee's version. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John McCain still hasn't said when his panel will take up the legislation.
