Senate bill would protect local channels for cable TV customers
May 2nd, 2006Cable TV customers’ access to local channels would gain protection under a Senate bill introduced Monday. Large cable systems would be authorized to continue providing local stations in analog form after the switchover to digital television broadcasts in 2009.
Under current law, subscribers who have not upgraded to digital cable service stand a chance of losing access to local channels, or needing additional equipment to receive them. (For details, see our Facts for cable TV customers.)
The analog-cable provisions are part of the draft telecom-bill-with-everything-on-it released by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska).
Other digital TV provisions include:
• Mandatory labeling requirements for analog TV sets.
• Requiring the FCC to provide more consumer education about the transition to digital TV.
• Anti-piracy “broadcast-flag” requirements that would ban digital TV tuners lacking copy-protection.
• Establishment of a digital TV working group to provide education and technical assistance.
The telecom bill, which would change local video-franchising procedures, will be a huge battle:
Regulatory analysts said they thought there was a less than 50-50 chance of telecom legislation becoming law this year because of the range of issues addressed by the Senate bill, the potential difficulty of reconciling it with the narrower House version passed last week and the short legislative calendar ahead of the November midterm elections.
The bill’s Democratic co-sponsor, Sen. Daniel K. Inouye, immediately raised concerns about Stevens’ draft, which lacks effective net neutrality measures.
Concerns over flimsy net neutrality protections are now causing delays in consideration of the House’s telecom bill.
• Links: Broadcasting & Cable, Multichannel News, Washington Post