[opendtv] News: Congress Cans a la Carte
- From: Craig Birkmaier <craig@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: OpenDTV Mail List <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 19 May 2004 08:38:30 -0400
Congress Cans a la Carte
By Bill McConnell -- Broadcasting & Cable, 5/18/2004 4:37:00 PM
Despite a big build-up by lawmakers who want cable and satellite
providers to sell programming on a channel-by-channel basis, Congress
won't be voting on either idea this year.
House Commerce Committee leaders persuaded supporters of so-called
"a la carte" offerings to drop the current plans for legislation.
Rep. Nathan Deal, R-Ga., announced Tuesday he is withdrawing the a la
carte amendment he planned to offer when the Commerce Committee votes
on satellite TV legislation next month.
"There was not a lot of support for that idea right now," Commerce
Committee Chairman Joe Barton explained during a luncheon speech to
the American Cable Association. Deal announced plans to withdraw his
measure before the same group earlier in the day.
Barton and other committee leaders feared the controversial a la
carte provision would derail a bill renewing satellite companies'
right to carry broadcast channels. ACA, which represents small cable
systems and systems that do not own programming networks, was one of
the few industry groups supporting Deal's idea.
Small cable systems might have benefited from the plan, which would
have barred programmers from prohibiting pay-TV providers'
channel-by-channel sales to consumers. Today, most programmers
require that entire network families be sold as bundles. Niche
channels, such as those targeted to minorities, oppose a la carte,
arguing that it reduces their chances of carriage.
To placate Deal, Barton and House Telecommunications Subcommittee
Chairman Fred Upton will ask the FCC to study the feasibility of an a
la carte requirement. The two Republicans are also asking Democratic
counterparts John Dingell and Ed Markey to sign on to the request.
A la carte is being pushed by consumer advocates who believe
subscriber fees will drop if customers don't have to buy channels
they don't watch. Foes of raunchy programming also like a la carte as
well, saying it will allow parents to buy only the channels they
believe appropriate for their children.
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