Post-Incentive Auction Channel Sharing Could Cost Cable, NCTA Says
Post-incentive auction channel sharing for TV broadcasters could “unlawfully” increase burdens for cable carriers, said NCTA in a meeting Monday with FCC Media Bureau Chief Bill Lake, and staff from the bureau and Office of General Counsel, said an ex…
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parte filing posted Wednesday in docket 12-268. Stations that channel share after the TV incentive auction will open up their vacated channels for more TV stations, in contrast to the stations that sell their spectrum for wireless use in the incentive auction. If one station moves to being shared, neither it nor the station that takes over its spectrum should be allowed to claim mandatory carriage status, NCTA said. That would increase cable costs and could “raise significant First Amendment problems,” said the association.