Is Digital TV Must-Carry a Must-Giveaway?

Should the FCC grant broadcasters multi-channel digital must-carry rights on cable TV--and if so, what public interest obligations should be tied to these valuable rights?

The FCC will decide soon whether to grant broadcasters "must-carry" rights on cable systems for the five or more channels of digital programming they will soon be able to transmit over the air. Rights to such cable carriage are worth tens of billions of dollars. Why should the broadcasting industry get something for free that every other cable/satellite channel must pay for? Should the broadcasters give something in return? Will digital must-carry rights really speed the broadcast DTV transition (thus speeding the return of the second free channel each station received for the DTV transition - spectrum worth tens of billions of dollars to taxpayers)? Will digital must-carry really save "free TV" (thus saving the poor from having to go without TV)? A panel of media experts debate the "must-carry" question, and present what may be better policy solutions to achieve the stated ends of must-carry.

12/05/2003 - 12:12pm
The New America Foundation
1630 Connecticut Ave., NW 7th Floor
Washington, 20009
United States
See map: Google Maps

Participants

  • Adam Thierer
    Director, Telecommunications Studies, Cato Institute

  • Jeffrey Chester
    Executive Director,
    Center for Digital Democracy

  • Steve Effros
    Former President, Cable Television Association

  • John Lawson
    President and CEO, Association of Public Television Stations

  • J.H. Snider
    Research Director, New America Foundation

Related Links

Adam Thierer, Dec. 5. 2003, TechKnowledge editorial, "DTV Mandate Tally Could Grow Again With Upcoming Multicasting Decision"

Center for Digital Democracy Press Release on Digital Multicasting Must-Carry Giveaway

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