Chris Blount
07-08-04, 06:45 AM
Key satellite TV legislation was marked up by the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday, but not before lawmakers took aim at copyright royalties paid by satellite TV companies.
The House Judiciary Committee marked up the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act (SHVERA) during a quick morning hearing, moving the key legislation closer to a full House vote. Part of the talk surrounding the legislation was on copyright royalty rates, for which lawmakers approved an increase.
Lawmakers defended the increase as reasonable and fair, saying the rates need a cost of living adjustment and should reflect fair market value. At one point during the hearing, EchoStar was criticized for "misleading consumers" about the rate hike, pointing to company efforts aimed at getting consumers to contact Capitol Hill on the issue.
EchoStar criticized the move concerning copyright royalties. "The House Judiciary Committee unfairly proposes to impose a 12 percent rate increase on copyright royalties in a retroactive accounting for five years worth of inflation," the company said in a statement.
"Despite assertions to the contrary by certain committee members, a rate increase by any other name is still a rate increase, in this case translating to tens of millions of dollars, and EchoStar does not want to have to pass those extra costs along to its customers," the company said. "While legislators claim to support competition in the marketplace, they propose a bill that would increase the rates paid by satellite without any similar increases for cable."
EchoStar added, "The committee now seeks to burden the TV viewer that has for years turned to satellite TV as refuge from the cable industry's supra-inflationary price increases."
DirecTV praised the moves made so far by lawmakers. "We're pleased that the bill has now made its way through both the House Judiciary and House Commerce committees as well as the Senate Judiciary Committee. We look forward to working with the Senate Commerce Committee as it prepares to address the satellite TV legislation," the company said.
In another matter, Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., proposed an amendment that would help satellite TV companies share satellite capacity for delivering local TV channels. His amendment would compel the Justice Department to move quickly on any anti-trust review of any satellite-sharing agreement.
http://www.skyreport.com (Used with permission)
The House Judiciary Committee marked up the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act (SHVERA) during a quick morning hearing, moving the key legislation closer to a full House vote. Part of the talk surrounding the legislation was on copyright royalty rates, for which lawmakers approved an increase.
Lawmakers defended the increase as reasonable and fair, saying the rates need a cost of living adjustment and should reflect fair market value. At one point during the hearing, EchoStar was criticized for "misleading consumers" about the rate hike, pointing to company efforts aimed at getting consumers to contact Capitol Hill on the issue.
EchoStar criticized the move concerning copyright royalties. "The House Judiciary Committee unfairly proposes to impose a 12 percent rate increase on copyright royalties in a retroactive accounting for five years worth of inflation," the company said in a statement.
"Despite assertions to the contrary by certain committee members, a rate increase by any other name is still a rate increase, in this case translating to tens of millions of dollars, and EchoStar does not want to have to pass those extra costs along to its customers," the company said. "While legislators claim to support competition in the marketplace, they propose a bill that would increase the rates paid by satellite without any similar increases for cable."
EchoStar added, "The committee now seeks to burden the TV viewer that has for years turned to satellite TV as refuge from the cable industry's supra-inflationary price increases."
DirecTV praised the moves made so far by lawmakers. "We're pleased that the bill has now made its way through both the House Judiciary and House Commerce committees as well as the Senate Judiciary Committee. We look forward to working with the Senate Commerce Committee as it prepares to address the satellite TV legislation," the company said.
In another matter, Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., proposed an amendment that would help satellite TV companies share satellite capacity for delivering local TV channels. His amendment would compel the Justice Department to move quickly on any anti-trust review of any satellite-sharing agreement.
http://www.skyreport.com (Used with permission)