Boucher Praises Cable Efforts
by John Eggerton -- Multichannel News, 4/6/2009 2:00:00 AM
In this story:
SHIELD INPUT SOUGHT
BACKING BASIC
Washington — House Communications, Technology and Internet Subcommittee chairman Rep. Rick Boucher had a pledge and several requests for the cable industry, which he delivered wrapped in praise for National Cable & Telecommunications Association CEO Kyle McSlarrow and for cable’s commitment to broadband, interactive services and a digital-TV education campaign he said topped that of broadcasters.
The Virginia Democrat’s pledge, which came in a luncheon speech last week, was that he would fight efforts by the Copyright Office and others to phase out cable’s compulsory license, which would force operators to negotiate individually for programs when they retransmit broadcast signals. The industry would be facing a “practical impossibility” if it were asked to do that.
SHIELD INPUT SOUGHT
His request was for help in getting his shield law bill through the Senate. The bill passed the House on voice vote last week, but Boucher said earlier in the week he was not predicting what would happen in the Senate. Boucher also asked broadcasters at a National Association of Broadcasters conference this week to alert Congress of their support of the shield law, which provides partial protection for reporters and their sources from testifying in federal courts.
Boucher also asked for input on how to craft a bipartisan online-privacy bill he is drafting that would provide opt-in/opt-out guidelines for online marketing.
Boucher praised cable for getting broadband to 92% of the U.S., but said it had to do more. He urged cable operators to apply for some of the $7.2 billion in broadband stimulus grant and loan money.
“The simple message I have today is: Please be very aggressive in applying for funds,” he said.
Boucher said cable had done an extraordinary job in promoting the DTV transition, saying it was “first out of the box” with a multimillion-dollar education campaign. “And you did so ahead of the broadcast industry,” he added.
Boucher noted that cable had aired more than $250 million in public-service announcements about the digital-TV transition, telling people what to do. “Largely that involved not canceling their cable subscriptions,” he said, drawing knowing laughter from the crowd. He said cable’s PSAs were the most entertaining as well.
BACKING BASIC
On a related note, he encouraged more cable operators to offer low-cost, basic-TV service packages, like the ones some operators offered as an incentive to woo customers during the DTV transition, saying that could benefit both the industry and the public.
Boucher said the cable industry had “enriched the American public with news, sports and entertainment programming.”
He also praised McSlarrow as a friend who was easy to work with and who provided the industry with “thoughtful, solution-oriented leadership.”
No related content found.
Featured Company
-
Digital Rapids
Digital Rapids is the leading provider of professional hardware and software tools, technology and expertise for bringing video to wider audiences and new viewing platforms. Continuing to set new standards in quality, productivity and versatility, our solutions span the critical ..more
VIEW ALL GALLERIES
