FCC says NO to splitting locals on 2 sats

[dlt]

The Federal Communications Commission concluded that satellite-TV companies cannot split up carriage of local-TV-station signals on two dishes.

The commission Friday vacated its earlier declaratory ruling that had found that EchoStar Communications’ requiring of multiple antennas to receive all local-TV-station signals was discriminatory, but that wrongly offered EchoStar remedial options rather than banning outright the two-dish approach.

"We vacate the ruling to the extent that it said that split-market carriage could be lawful," the FCC said.

The decision is, in essence, a housekeeping move that squares the FCC with Congress, which, in 2004, changed the Satellite Home Viewer Reauthorization Act to prohibit the two-dish delivery of local stations.

The FCC also dismissed petitions by the National Association of Broadcasters taking issue with its initial declaratory ruling, saying that they were now moot.

[Zero327]

Does anyone even know what the FCC does all day aside from stamping handheld radios FCC approved to not interfere with an 80-year old man's pacemaker?

[kenglish]

Does anyone even know what the FCC does all day aside from stamping handheld radios FCC approved to not interfere with an 80-year old man's pacemaker?

They are expected to process tens of thousands of rubber-stamped "obscenity" complaints every month, from followers of the PTC. They do everything else, if they still have the time.

YTDAW :flag:

[bthessel]

They are expected to process tens of thousands of rubber-stamped "obscenity" complaints every month, from followers of the PTC. They do everything else, if they still have the time.

YTDAW :flag:

They also spend a lot of time with Telco/Big Media lobbyists to make sure everyone believes that we are getting the greatest Radio/TV/Internet service for the best price. Even though it isn't true.

[Bill R]

So do this mean that SD and HD locals (if available) have to be available from the same satellite slot?

[TNGTony]

No. This applies to SD channels and HD channels separately. All they did was say "oopsie, we really didn't mean to say it was okay for Dish to split their locals with free equipment and installation. :)

The ruling is really meaningless since the newer law was passed. That law spells out that all SD locals from any given market must be receivable on one satellite dish (not satellite slot). All HD locals from any given market must be receivable on one dish (not necessarily the same dish as the SD counterparts).

A reminder to those that may not know: the FCC was set up by Congress to regulate the laws Congress passes on communications issues. The FCC cannot independently change the law.

See ya
Tony

See ya
Tony