FCC Headline From the Future

Maybe I shouldn’t give anybody any ideas.

But with the FCC’s Kevin Martin now proposing that hundreds of low-power local TV stations be granted must-carry rights for carriage on cable networks, could we someday see an announcement like this?:

FCC Adopts Rules to Promote Accessibility of Internet-Based Video

Ensures Consumers Will Receive Broader Array of Programming 

Washington, DC – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today adopted a Report and Order (Order) which allows consumers to receive a rich variety of Internet-based video programming on cable networks.

Under the new rules, cable operators are required to carry all the video content of any Internet-video operator that opts for must-carry distribution on a nondiscriminatory basis, provided that the Internet operator has more than 50 unique users per month.

The Commission adopted this Order today in response to comments from Internet video operators regarding slow response times to information requests and excessive rates and fees from cable operators.

"For years, videos on YouTube, Google, MySpace, Yahoo and MSN have been confined to users with Internet-attached devices," FCC Commissioner Kevin Martin said. "And they just didn’t look very good. With these new measures, consumers will be able to enjoy thousands of hours of unique programming, from literally thousands of different sources, right on their big-screen TVs."

-FCC-