The Next Generation Television Marketplace Act would repeal compulsory copyright licenses, various mandates on private sector companies and consumers, and FCC broadcast and media ownership rules. And the Video CHOICE Act would, among other things, give the FCC authority to grant interim carriage of a TV station during a retransmission consent negotiation impasse.
At a hearing Tuesday on Sen. Jim DeMint’s proposal to jettison retransmission consent and compulsory licenses, broadcasters and cable representatives offer the party lines; former Fox exec Preston Padden supported DeMint’s idea, but warned against repealing retrans but not the compulsory license; while the Consumer Federation of America suggested moving broadcasters off the airwaves to “provide the maximum opportunity for all the people to use the public airways for their public purposes.”
Sponsored by Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) and Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), the Next Generation Television Marketplace Act would repeal the compulsory license, must-carry, retransmission consent and local broadcast ownership limits. NAB turns thumbs down.
