WASHINGTON -(Dow Jones)- A decades-old complex network of cable and satellite copyright licenses for paid TV will get a second look in Congress this year, causing lobby shops throughout the industry to gear up their war rooms.

A small portion of the license regime, governing distant channels offered by satellite TV, expires in December. As lawmakers look to reauthorize it, some are calling for a complete overhaul of the licensing system, which opens the possibility for new winners and losers in the sector.

At hearings Wednesday, representatives from the cable industry called for a light touch in changing what they admitted is an antiquated system.

"Be very careful," cautioned National Cable and Telecommunications Association President Kyle McSlarrow at a House Judiciary Committee hearing. "Even though it may look arcane, if you step back and ask the question, 'Is the consumer being served?' Yes. 'Are distributors being helped?' Yes. 'Are copyright holders being compensated fairly?' Our answer would be yes."

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