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DISH: Start Retrans Quiet Period in December
DISH Network this week kept pushing for a retrans quiet period, telling officials at the Federal Communications Commission that such a move would ensure consumers do not lose local programming as a result of retransmission consent skirmishes during the February 2009 digital transition.
In a filing describing its meetings this week at the Portals, DISH representatives stressed that a retrans quiet period should begin no later than December. The company said "thousands of retransmission consent agreements" will expire that month, just weeks before the digital transition. And any loss of stations before the switch would be a minus for viewers.
"Most pay-TV subscribers do not need to do anything to be transition ready. But if broadcasters and pay-TV providers do not reach a new retrans deal, consumers could lose access to some or all of their local broadcast stations," DISH said in its filing. "Any dropped broadcast programming close to February 2009 may cause customer confusion and wasted expenditures."
DISH said broadcasters would not be harmed by a quiet period that starts in December. Simply stated, existing contracts would merely be extended, the company said.
"Starting a quiet period later than December would be pointless because programming would already be dropped and the harm done. Programming cannot be added back in February absent a new carriage deal," the company stated in its comments.
There are several retrans quiet period proposals at the FCC. Broadcasters have suggested a four-week period, two weeks before the Feb. 17, 2009, transition and two weeks after the switch. Some cable interests are pushing for a six-month quiet period that starts in January.
DISH Network this week kept pushing for a retrans quiet period, telling officials at the Federal Communications Commission that such a move would ensure consumers do not lose local programming as a result of retransmission consent skirmishes during the February 2009 digital transition.
In a filing describing its meetings this week at the Portals, DISH representatives stressed that a retrans quiet period should begin no later than December. The company said "thousands of retransmission consent agreements" will expire that month, just weeks before the digital transition. And any loss of stations before the switch would be a minus for viewers.
"Most pay-TV subscribers do not need to do anything to be transition ready. But if broadcasters and pay-TV providers do not reach a new retrans deal, consumers could lose access to some or all of their local broadcast stations," DISH said in its filing. "Any dropped broadcast programming close to February 2009 may cause customer confusion and wasted expenditures."
DISH said broadcasters would not be harmed by a quiet period that starts in December. Simply stated, existing contracts would merely be extended, the company said.
"Starting a quiet period later than December would be pointless because programming would already be dropped and the harm done. Programming cannot be added back in February absent a new carriage deal," the company stated in its comments.
There are several retrans quiet period proposals at the FCC. Broadcasters have suggested a four-week period, two weeks before the Feb. 17, 2009, transition and two weeks after the switch. Some cable interests are pushing for a six-month quiet period that starts in January.