DirecTV and USTelecom said the FCC has authority to close at leas...
DirecTV and USTelecom said the FCC has authority to close at least part of what’s called the terrestrial loophole that exempts cable operators from having to sell to subscription-TV rivals channels affiliated with the cable operator when those channels…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
are transmitted terrestrially, not by satellite. Regional sports networks “are indisputably ‘Must-Have’ programming,” said a USTelecom ex parte filing reporting on a meeting last week with aides to Commissioner Michael Copps. “The Commission has an enormous record upon which to find that video competition is significantly hindered or prevented without access to RSNs. HD channels have become essential to competitive entry.” DirecTV believes that the commission “has the statutory authority to close the ’terrestrial loophole,’ and sufficient evidence upon which to do so immediately with respect to regional sports network programming,” said filings reporting on meetings with aides to Commissioners Meredith Baker and Mignon Clyburn. An order on the exemption is expected to get a vote at the Jan. 20 commission meeting (CD Jan 8 p4).