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FCC Boss Reminds Broadcasters Net Neutrality Is Good For Them

Speaking at the NAB Conference this week in Las Vegas, FCC boss Tom Wheeler jumped to the defense of the agency's new net neutrality rules, arguing that they'll actually benefit broadcasters in the long run. Wheeler needs all the help he can get after the broadband industry filed five separate lawsuits against the rules this week. All of them (from the CTIA, ATA, USTelecom, NCTA and AT&T) claiming the FCC's new rules are "arbitrary and capricious" and violate federal law.

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"The Open Internet order safeguards an increasingly important distribution channel for your most important product — local news and information," Wheeler said Wednesday in Las Vegas. "It assures that your use of the Internet will be free from the risk of discrimination or hold-up by a gatekeeper."

Wheeler avoided going into too much detail about the flurry of broadband industry lawsuits, only addressing them as "the elephant in the room," while expressing hope the suits will be discarded soon "so we can move forward."
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smk11
join:2014-11-12

smk11

Member

Long run means broadcasters become ISP competition

Broadcasters are likely to become ISP's themselves as ATSC is likely to adopt tech based on LTE or infact just LTE itself.

You can already see cable/telco companies realizing this which is why they are charging for local channels now.

HereToHelp3
@charter.com

HereToHelp3

Anon

Re: Long run means broadcasters become ISP competition

said by smk11:

Broadcasters are likely to become ISP's themselves as ATSC is likely to adopt tech based on LTE or infact just LTE itself.

Doubtful. It's one thing to send a singal to a computer, how are you sending a signal to a tower 50, 60, 80 miles away?

TIGERON
join:2008-03-11
Boston, MA

TIGERON

Member

It's in their best interest

Broadcasters are slowly realizing that the cable companies are not needed. They have to get involved.

Hmm
@rr.com

Hmm

Anon

How?

How is it good for broadcasters? Many of the local stations aren't even owned by the national channels. And ABC and such as enough money to go and by-pass any caps if they needed to and would not have a problem with it.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium Member
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Netgear WNDR3700v2
Zoom 5341J

KrK

Premium Member

Re: How?

They can put their content on the internet and the local gatekeepers incumbent ISP's won't be able to harass them or block the content. This means they can end-around Cable companies etc if there is a retransmission dispute they won't be blacked out, for example.