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FCC Chief Proposing to End U.S. Rule on Cable Program Shari

well directv can play some real hardball comcast will be in hard place with out root sports

so the root sports fans would be out of luck if directv played hardball with comcast? If so I will definitely be switching to dish network. I can't go without my pirates or penguins and they both just resigned with root sports recently unless comcast buys out root sports.

Well, according to an article last week on the Broadcasting & Cable site (»www.broadcastingcable.com/articl···nset.php), the FCC says they will be looking to prevent any problems with competitive access to RSNs:

In launching its review of the rules last March (»www.broadcastingcable.com/articl···ules.php), the FCC pondered dropping the outright ban but retaining access mandates for satellite-delivered regional sports nets and other unique programming for which the FCC decides there is no substitute.

The FCC chairman decided not to go that route, according to a source. Instead, as the commission said last March when teeing up its various options, it decided to "sunset the exclusive contract prohibition in its entirety and instead relying solely on existing protections." Specifically the case-by-case consideration of complaints about exclusive contracts under current prohibitions on "deceptive practices."

Looks like Google is running into this RSN access issue for its Fiber TV and Internet service in Kansas City:

Sportsmanship a problem as Google Fiber prepares its video lineup
Rights to broadcast local sports games at heart of controversy
By Jim Barthold, FierceIPTV - September 24, 2012
»www.fierceiptv.com/story/sportsm···12-09-24

reply to gustavenla68
DirecTV doesn't even have ANY phillies baseball or hockey. I have premier and say phillies is playing on another sports net, I get a message saying its blacked out and it's searching for programming on other channels. Maybe once in a blue moon it will find it on WPHL 17 but that's rare.

reply to camper
"In a related story, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski reports the brand new Range Rover purchased for him by the cable industry's lobbyists provides an excellent driving experience, both on-road and off."

reply to cypherstream

I recently read an article where Comcast is contending that they're offering CSN Philly to Directv at "market rates", but they've turned it down. My assumption is that "market rates" is so astronomical that if Directv accepted, it would probably raise all subscribers rates significantly.

reply to telcodad
well is there any chance of say the fcc saying that if you buy any of the out market packs that there can be NO black out on them at all even for local games not you your system on the main channel pack.

Or even like the old cable law saying you can buy limited basic and hbo.

According to this article on the Broadcasting & Cable site today, "... Comcast is under its own exclusivity ban, per the NBCU deal conditions, until 2018":

Comcast's Cohen: No Justification for Exclusivity Ban
Says he doesn't see business model for national Google Fiber build-out
By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable - September 26, 2012
»www.broadcastingcable.com/articl···_Ban.php

reply to telcodad

FYI - The latest news on this:

Pending Program Access Item Draws Crowd
Industry players make last ditch pitches as vote nears
By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable - September 27, 2012
»www.broadcastingcable.com/articl···rowd.php

reply to camper
The cable co should be trying to amend the law so they can get stuff like NFL Sunday ticket

Yes, from: »en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Sunday_Ticket

Currently, American satellite provider DirecTV has exclusive rights to NFL Sunday Ticket in the United States until the contract expires at the end of the 2014–15 season (»www.multichannel.com/content/nfl···xtension). Prior to the NFL's latest television deal, other satellite and cable providers were allowed to bid on the rights to carry NFL Sunday Ticket if they agreed to carry the NFL Network. However, DirecTV still won exclusivity for the package, bidding over $700 million a year to do so. This has long been one of DirecTV's selling points to consumers, and thus likely explains the large premium they pay for the privilege. Still, the NFL has indicated that another reason they accepted DirecTV's bid was to limit the availability of the product so that the television networks and especially their local affiliates would be protected.

but in Canada The lack of exclusivity for any provider. Was due to laws saying no to exclusivity.

also now days television networks and especially their local affiliates would be protected.

They can just put local ad's into the games on cable now days if they wanted to.

reply to telcodad
According to this article on the Broadcasting & Cable site tonight, the FCC is expected to vote on this tomorrow or Thursday:

Markey Asks FCC to Retain Ban On Exclusive Contracts
Tells Genachowski that rules are still needed to prevent withholding of must-have sports and entertainment programming
By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable - October 2, 2012
»www.broadcastingcable.com/articl···acts.php

Today's update:

NCTA: Rebuttable Presumptions Would Be De Facto Extension of Program Access
Tells FCC not to adopt "last-ditch" effort to extend rules it has said are outdated
By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable - October 3, 2012
»www.broadcastingcable.com/articl···cess.php