Latest in Retransmission Consent Rules

Dish Network and Hearst Television apparently remain far from resolving the contract dispute that since March 3 left satellite customers in 26 markets unable to watch the broadcaster’s stations. Hearst today released a letter from its president, Jordan Wertlieb, who says that Dish’s “lack of engagement and…

Dish Network and Hearst Television have ratcheted up their efforts to persuade viewers that the other side is to blame for the contract impasse that left subscribers unable to watch the broadcasters’ affiliates in 26 markets including Baltimore, Boston, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh. Dish today is circulating a video…

Dish Network subscribers in 26 markets — including Baltimore, Boston, Kansas City, and Pittsburgh — lost access to Hearst Television stations last night after the companies reached an impasse in their negotiations for a new carriage deal. Per usual, the companies disagree about price: how much Dish should pay Hearst…

FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler had good news today for broadcasters who frequently lock horns with cable and satellite distributors in retransmission consent disputes. Regulators will not proceed with a proposal to change the rules governing these disputes, Wheeler said in a blog post. Cable and satellite…

Broadcast and pay TV lobbyists engaged in the K Street version of a street fight in filings to the FCC at the deadline for comments about its proposed retransmission consent rules. Regulators are fed up with programming blackouts — and are under orders from Congress to review their so-called "totality of the…

Dish Network and Tegna must have savvy PR folk on hand who urged them to keep the TV stations up through next Friday at 7 PM ET — even though the carriage contract expired yesterday. They did this, the satellite and TV broadcast companies say, because: “With Hurricane Joaquin forecast to potentially impact several…

The agreement means that Dish Network subscribers will continue to receive programming from 46 television stations owned or serviced by Tegna (formerly Gannett) past 7 PM ET tonight. That’s when the companies’ carriage contract expires. It would be a big deal if Tegna stations go dark on Dish. The broadcaster reaches…

The FCC took another step today toward helping cable and satellite companies negotiate retransmission deals with broadcasters — something that Chairman Tom Wheeler proposed last month. Regulators voted to review their so-called "totality of the circumstances test" to determine whether station owners, cable and…

UPDATED: Mediacom’s  CEO Rocco Commisso couldn’t have picked a better day to petition the FCC  to rein in broadcasters’ retransmission consent price hike demands — as he also blasted Chairman Tom Wheeler for “refusing to get involved at the very time when consumers most need your help.” As fate would have it, Mediacom…

TV station owners dodged a bullet last night, although possibly just temporarily, as the Senate Commerce Committee drafts a must-pass bill that governs satellite companies’ dealings with broadcasters.  Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Ranking Member John Thune (R-SD) agreed to take out a broadcast a la carte…

UPDATE, 12:41 PM: Public interest groups like Chairman Tom Wheeler’s retransmission consent and TV station shared services agreement proposals better than I envisioned. Public Knowledge says the plans “will represent a meaningful attempt to rein in programming costs.” Free Press CEO Craig Aaron lauded the chairman’s…

The proposal today from Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-Calif) offers just the kinds of reforms that pay TV execs want, especially following the recent 32-day blackout of CBS-owned properties on Time Warner Cable systems. Many cable and satellite providers say that they’re virtually powerless to resist broadcasters who demand big…