"Must Carry Rule" Battle Goes To Congress

MUST-CARRY DEBATE MOVES TO CONGRESS
Earlier this year in February the Federal Communications Commission decisively rejected the so-called "dual must-carry" proposal. This proposal would have required cable operators to give every local broadcaster a second channel on their systems during the perhaps years-long transition from analog broadcasting to digital broadcasting.

The FCC also rejected the "multi-cast, must-carry" proposal. If approved, this proposal would have forced cable operators to give broadcasters enough space on their systems to deliver several broadcast signals instead of just one.

C-SPAN had opposed both proposals because we believe the government should not give preferential treatment to broadcast stations over cable programmers as both seek access to the limited channel capacity of cable systems. Had the proposals become effective, the C-SPAN Networks would have had fewer opportunities to expand the availability of our public service programming to cable television subscribers.

However, the must-carry debate is not over. The debate has moved to the Congress where legislation to govern the upcoming transition from analog television to digital television is pending. There continue to be efforts on Capitol Hill to resuscitate variations of the must-carry rule and enact them into law.

C-SPAN remains opposed to any form of the must-carry rule, whether it applies to analog or digital television. The rule and its variations infringe on C-SPAN's First Amendment free speech rights, and, it is unfair. We will keep you informed of the progress of the must-carry debate in Congress on this page.