Broadcasters Seek Changes in FCC Lists of Satellite-Eligible Signals

An FCC list of stations granted “significantly viewed” status for satellite carriage under the Satellite Home Viewer Extension & Reauthorization Act (SHVERA) excludes some stations that qualify, Sinclair Bcst. told the FCC. “Many stations that are home to a given market are not included on the list,” Sinclair said in comments filed on SHVERA. Station and programmer groups promoted their own changes to the Commission’s proposed rulemaking to carry out SHVERA, announced in Feb. (CD Feb 8 p13).

Sinclair said the “significantly viewed” list is based on 1971 data prepared to define cable carriage rights. As a result, Sinclair’s WBFF (Fox) Baltimore, which didn’t begin operation until 1971, isn’t listed as significantly viewed in the Baltimore market, Sinclair said. Sinclair said that, given the list’s “flawed and incomplete” nature, the Commission should take care not to use it again except for the currently limited purpose of defining significantly viewed “out-of-market” stations.

NAB and network affiliates, which agreed with many FCC proposals, said definitions of full network station, partial network station and independent station should be amended so Fox-owned and affiliated stations would get the same treatment as other network affiliates.

The MPAA backed an FCC plan to define “community” for both satellite and cable operators. “Such an approach seeks to accomplish one of Congress’ goals in enacting SHVERA, to achieve parity and achieve a level playing field between cable and satellite operators,” it said.