01-30-02, 04:09 AM
More lawmakers are asking federal regulators to take a careful look at the proposed merger between EchoStar and DirecTV, especially any impact a combined DBS entity would have on rural TV viewers.
The most recent round of letters were sent to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft by Sen. Olympia Snowe, a Maine Republican, and Rep. Tom Udall, a New Mexico Democrat. They joined other lawmakers in asking that regulators consider consumer-type protections for rural satellite TV viewers who cannot access cable or off-air network broadcasts.
The separate letters did not voice outright opposition to the pending merger.
In response, an EchoStar spokesperson said efficiencies resulting from the merger will enable the new satellite TV company to provide stronger competition to entrenched cable firms that control 69 million customers, or about 80 percent of pay television households.
EchoStar also stuck to its assertion that only about 2.9 percent of U.S. households, as cited in the FCC's recent report on multichannel competition, are not passed by cable. If the merger goes through, these consumers will benefit by having access to more local TV channels, high-speed Internet access, interactive TV and other services, the spokesperson said. A nationwide pricing structure could also be part of the merger picture, EchoStar said.
The letters follow an earlier correspondence sent to the FCC and Justice Department that was authored by Rep. Jo An Emerson, a Missouri Republican and co-chair of the Congressional Rural Caucus. That letter, which has been signed by 88 lawmakers, suggested that strictly enforced consumer safeguards on price, quality and access to vital telecommunications services must be part of any merger approval.
From <a href="http://www.skyreport.com" target=none>SkyReport</a> (Used with permission)
The most recent round of letters were sent to Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft by Sen. Olympia Snowe, a Maine Republican, and Rep. Tom Udall, a New Mexico Democrat. They joined other lawmakers in asking that regulators consider consumer-type protections for rural satellite TV viewers who cannot access cable or off-air network broadcasts.
The separate letters did not voice outright opposition to the pending merger.
In response, an EchoStar spokesperson said efficiencies resulting from the merger will enable the new satellite TV company to provide stronger competition to entrenched cable firms that control 69 million customers, or about 80 percent of pay television households.
EchoStar also stuck to its assertion that only about 2.9 percent of U.S. households, as cited in the FCC's recent report on multichannel competition, are not passed by cable. If the merger goes through, these consumers will benefit by having access to more local TV channels, high-speed Internet access, interactive TV and other services, the spokesperson said. A nationwide pricing structure could also be part of the merger picture, EchoStar said.
The letters follow an earlier correspondence sent to the FCC and Justice Department that was authored by Rep. Jo An Emerson, a Missouri Republican and co-chair of the Congressional Rural Caucus. That letter, which has been signed by 88 lawmakers, suggested that strictly enforced consumer safeguards on price, quality and access to vital telecommunications services must be part of any merger approval.
From <a href="http://www.skyreport.com" target=none>SkyReport</a> (Used with permission)