MULTICAST MUST-CARRY DEBATE REKINDLES AT FCC
NBC TV Affiliates Assn. and Telemundo executives met with FCC commissioners earlier this week on their multicasting initiatives, as the debate over multicast must- carry resurfaced. “[NBC and Telemundo] talked about the importance of multicast must-carry to the programming they're trying to get on and the impact that could have on the Hispanic community and the importance of them having it,” Martin told reporters Thurs. Increasing programming for Hispanics “could be an important issue,” he said: “But I think it goes beyond just that. I think consumers in general have a high expectation of the types of broadcasting that will be carried on basic cable systems.”
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NBC Affiliates gave the FCC an update on multicasting plans and on local weather programming that could provide information on traffic and emergency alerts, said affiliates Chmn. Roger Ogden. Telemundo also provided concepts on local news, programming and weather for the Hispanic audience on over-the-air broadcasts. Cable operators have told the FCC they fear broadcasters would get must-carry and then fill the multicast channels with infomercials, paid programs and low- budget fare.
“The commission continues to hear all the arguments,” Martin said. A decision on multicast must-carry was supposed to come near the beginning of 2004. The Media Bureau, which last month was going to send an item to the 8th floor to start discussions, hasn’t done so and there’s no time frame, an FCC spokeswoman said.
Also this week, Entravision, an independent broadcaster of Spanish-language programming provided by Univision Network, in a letter to the FCC said multicast must carry would place huge financial burdens on independent broadcasters already facing digital conversion costs. Entravision said it can’t hope to take advantage of multicasting until investments in digital stations are secured. “A multicast must-carry requirement would effectively allow network affiliates to dominate the local broadcast station industry, and lead to the kind of homogenous video programming market that informed the concerns of Congress and the public during the Commission’s broadcast ownership proceedings,” Entravision wrote. Martin said he hadn’t reviewed Entravision’s position.