Stations’ Online Future Hinges on ‘MVPD’

[Commentary] The regulatory issue that was talked about privately and extensively by broadcasters and their lawyers at National Association of Broadcasters convention and that will have great, long-term implications for the industry was the Federal Communications Commission's request for comments on the definition of multichannel video program distributor (MVPD). That doesn't sound like such a big deal. But it is. Multichannel video program distributor is a term cooked by the authors of the 1992 Cable Act to mean basically "cable system or satellite operator," but the 42-word definition leaves room for others the FCC may want to include. Being defined as an MVPD brings with it all kind of rights and obligations under the law. That's why this is important.

Broadcasters desperately need to get their signals on the Internet so that they can be accessed on every desktop, netbook, laptop, tablet and smartphone. It's the key to ubiquity, one of the qualities that has brought the medium this far. If the networks and other copyright holders loosen their grip and give stations permission to put their programming online, the stations may not need the compulsory license. And there has been increasing talk that that is happening. And if stations go online, it should be a safe environment where there are rules for handling TV signals and everybody has to play by them. And the way to create that environment is to make sure that Internet distributors are deemed MVPDs with all rights, privileges and responsibilities thereunto pertaining.