Press Release
Groups Urge FCC to Put Consumers First in Retransmission Battles
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON – Public interest groups from across the political spectrum are urging the Federal Communications Commission to take steps to protect consumers in retransmission disputes between broadcasters and cable companies. The groups seek to prevent a repeat of deadlocks that have deprived paying customers of access to television programming, and to reform retransmission processes to put consumer choice and the public interest ahead of parochial industry interests.
In comments filed today, Parents Television Council, Free Press and Consumers Union propose pro-consumer, pro-public interest solutions to the ongoing problems with retransmission consent negotiations. The FCC’s request for comment on a recently filed petition comes in the wake of several high-profile disputes, including one between Cablevision and ABC/Disney in which millions of households could not get ABC signals for 20 hours immediately before the Academy Awards.
“The Commission should protect consumers from being made the real victim in retransmission consent wars,” said M. Chris Riley, Free Press policy counsel. “Unless the FCC acts to fix this broken system, we can expect a long hot summer when consumers will likely be caught again between sparring broadcasters and cable companies, and will face more service disruptions and ever higher cable bills. These bills continue to go up, while many costs are going down. Consumers deserve a break.”
The public interest groups recommend that the Commission institute a dispute resolution process that includes a consumer right to opt out of paying for any unwanted channels included as part of a retransmission consent bundle, and they further propose that the costs of dispute resolution not fall on the taxpayer or the consumer.
Dan Isett of the Parents Television Council said, “The Commission must act to shift the balance of power to the public. Consumers should no longer be prisoners of pricey bundles, but should have the freedom to select, pay for and receive in their living rooms only those channels they want. The Commission’s aim should not be to pick winners and losers in industry disputes, but rather to protect families and consumers.”
"Cable customers should get what they pay for, instead of being held at the mercy of these disputes between the cable companies and the broadcasters," said Joel Kelsey of Consumers Union. Consumers should be able to choose their channels, and they should get a refund when they lose access to the channels they pay for."
According to media reports, the FCC may already have decided not to take any action in this proceeding, even though initial comments have not yet been filed by the cable industry, broadcasters or the public. The groups urge the Commission to recognize that a decision to stand on the sidelines would be a mistake and would result in further consumer harm.
Link to the filing: http://www.freepress.net/resource/retransmission-petition-filing
In comments filed today, Parents Television Council, Free Press and Consumers Union propose pro-consumer, pro-public interest solutions to the ongoing problems with retransmission consent negotiations. The FCC’s request for comment on a recently filed petition comes in the wake of several high-profile disputes, including one between Cablevision and ABC/Disney in which millions of households could not get ABC signals for 20 hours immediately before the Academy Awards.
“The Commission should protect consumers from being made the real victim in retransmission consent wars,” said M. Chris Riley, Free Press policy counsel. “Unless the FCC acts to fix this broken system, we can expect a long hot summer when consumers will likely be caught again between sparring broadcasters and cable companies, and will face more service disruptions and ever higher cable bills. These bills continue to go up, while many costs are going down. Consumers deserve a break.”
The public interest groups recommend that the Commission institute a dispute resolution process that includes a consumer right to opt out of paying for any unwanted channels included as part of a retransmission consent bundle, and they further propose that the costs of dispute resolution not fall on the taxpayer or the consumer.
Dan Isett of the Parents Television Council said, “The Commission must act to shift the balance of power to the public. Consumers should no longer be prisoners of pricey bundles, but should have the freedom to select, pay for and receive in their living rooms only those channels they want. The Commission’s aim should not be to pick winners and losers in industry disputes, but rather to protect families and consumers.”
"Cable customers should get what they pay for, instead of being held at the mercy of these disputes between the cable companies and the broadcasters," said Joel Kelsey of Consumers Union. Consumers should be able to choose their channels, and they should get a refund when they lose access to the channels they pay for."
According to media reports, the FCC may already have decided not to take any action in this proceeding, even though initial comments have not yet been filed by the cable industry, broadcasters or the public. The groups urge the Commission to recognize that a decision to stand on the sidelines would be a mistake and would result in further consumer harm.
Link to the filing: http://www.freepress.net/resource/retransmission-petition-filing
