Audio Video News

A member of Congress is pushing for satellite video services to carry all local channels in all markets.

Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI) has been pushing for this for years. Under a loophole in current law, satellite video operators can avoid carrying local channels simply by doing it consistently. If they carry one local channel, they're required to carry them all, but they can get around that requirement by not carrying any of them. This is happening in 31 of 210 local markets as defined by regulators.

Stupak points out that DirecTV promised during a 2003 congressional hearing to carry all local channels. That promise has remained unfulfilled, but Stupak will have an opportunity to press his demand under pending legislation. Every five years, Congress must renew the law giving satellite operators the right to carry local programming. The Michigan Congressman plans to bring the matter up again during the debate.