New Questions for Senate Commerce Committee Oversight Hearings

NEW QUESTIONS FOR SENATE COMMERCE COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT HEARINGS
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
Meredith McGehee, policy director of the Campaign Legal Center, has written to Senate Commerce Committee members asking them to make sure and ask FCC commissioners why, after six years of study, the Commission has yet to define the public interest obligations of digital broadcasters. McGehee pointed out that two DTV public interest-related items have been kicking around the FCC without resolution for five and six years, respectively. She also says that FCC Chairman Kevin Martin made a "promising start" when he first came in as chairman by naming 20 new members to a Consumer Advisory Commission, but that the FCC has not acted on the DTV public interest recommendations of that advisory group. This includes the recommendation that the FCC outline basic and meaningful public interest obligations and disclosure rules for digital television by May 2006. Calling the FCC's failure to establish "bright lines" for DTV obligations "inexcusable" McGehee says, "I sincerely hope that you will stress to the Commissioners at tomorrow’s hearing their vital role in this process and remind them that the airwaves they use to broadcast are owned by the public and that the absence of digital public interest obligations after six years is unacceptable."
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6412022?title=Article&spacede...
* FCC expects to face queries on AT&T-BellSouth merger (Associated Press)
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/businesstechnology/2003550457_fccc...

MARTIN: COMPETITORS NEED MUST-HAVE CABLE NETS
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn]
In testimony prepared for this morning's Senate Commerce Committee hearing, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin will say that he supports the extension of rules that force cable companies to sell programming to competing pay TV distributors. Facing his first major oversight hearing since becoming chairman in March 2005, Martin voiced support for cable program-access rules as part of the agency’s ongoing effort “to create a regulatory environment that encourages entry into this [pay TV] market and more choice for consumers. This includes making sure that competitive providers have access to ‘must-have’ programming that is vertically integrated with a cable operator.” Cable operators are required to sell satellite-delivered networks in which they hold at least a 5% ownership stake. Such networks include Time Warner’s CNN and Comcast’s Golf Channel. The FCC’s rule mandating cable-programming sales will sunset in October without formal FCC extension. Chairman Martin’s comments suggesting support for extension came before the agency had sought public comment on whether, as the law states, the rules continue “to be necessary to preserve and protect competition and diversity in the distribution of video programming.”
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6412300.html?display=Breaking+News

SENS PUSH FCC ON SINCLAIR-MEDIACOM
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: Ted Hearn & Linda Moss]
The leaders of the Senate Commerce Committee sent a letter to Federal Communications Commission chairman Kevin Martin urging the agency to help resolve the dispute between Mediacom Communications and Sinclair Broadcast Group before Super Bowl weekend. “We strongly urge you and the other members of the [FCC] to actively engage to resolve this dispute. At a minimum, Americans should not be shut off from broadcast programming while the matter is being negotiated among the parties and is awaiting action by the full [FCC] on appeal,” the letter said. The letter, dated Tuesday, was signed by Senate Commerce Committee chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and ranking member Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who expressed concern that cable subscribers might lose access to Sunday’s Super Bowl on CBS. The lawmakers urged “immediate action to resolve this dispute, which could include binding arbitration.”
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6412260.html?display=Breaking+News
* Senate Commerce Co-Chairs Urge Arbitration
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA6412281.html?display=Breaking...

KERRY TO QUESTION PROPOSED DIRECTV-MLB DEAL
[SOURCE: Multichannel News, AUTHOR: R. Thomas Umstead]
Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) intends to question Federal Communications Commission Chairman Kevin Martin about the pending $700 million deal between DirecTV and Major League Baseball that would provide DirecTV with exclusive rights to baseball’s Extra Innings live-game package. The deal would shut out cable subscribers from purchasing the $179 package, which provides hundreds of live out-of-market baseball games. “I am opposed to anything that deprives people of reasonable choices. In this day and age, consumers should have more choices, not fewer,” Kerry said in a prepared statement. “I'd like to know how this serves the public -- a deal that will force fans to subscribe to DirecTV in order to tune in to their favorite players. A Red Sox fan ought to be able to watch their team without having to switch to DirecTV.”
http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6412251.html?display=Breaking+News