Senators Want FCC To Look At Applying Local TV Rules To Streaming Platforms
19.10.2023 - 19:03
/ deadline.com
A group of Democratic senators are calling on the FCC to consider whether to extend broadcast and cable regulations to streaming outlets as a way of ensuring that local stations can get distribution on the new platforms.
The senators, all Democrats and independents, wrote a letter to the FCC’s five commissioners, “out of concern for the future of the media market and our constituents’ ability to access broadcasters’ unique locally-focused content on streaming platforms.”
The letter comes amid high profile standoffs over the carriage of broadcast and cable stations, leading to the recent blackout of Disney stations and channels from Spectrum’s systems, as well as increasing concerns over the future of linear TV in general.
Traditional media is bound by a set of regulations spelled out in the 1992 Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act. It requires that cable providers to negotiate directly with local TV stations for the retransmission of their programming, setting the stage for a lucrative revenue stream for broadcasters.
The senators, led by Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, noted that so-called “virtual MVPDs,” like Hulu and YouTube TV, are not subject to the same regulation.
The FCC launched an proceeding in 2014 to look into to extending the regulations to those platforms, but has not moved further. The lawmakers want the FCC to restart that proceeding.
The senators noted that since then, “there has been a monumental shift in the marketplace and the way people access video content. Internet-based streaming services now have a sizable portion of the video programming distribution market – and this is only expected to grow as streaming companies actively urge consumers to switch from traditional television
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