Possible Good News on Digital Multicasting Must Carry

If the following story is accurate, FCC Commissioner Powell wants to try and produce a decision which denies broadcasters must-carry rights for the multiple program feeds delivered within each broadcast station's digital signal. Essentially, Powell seeks to create a majority (not necessarily done or easy) decision for retaining the existing definition of must-carry involving a broadcast station's "primary video signal" (i.e., the signal everyone receives today containing local news, syndicated shows, network prime-time line-ups).

While in prior messages, I have noted my opinion on the unconstitutional underpinning of both analog and digital multi-cast must carry, the argument for any must-carry application to digital multi-casting seems even stronger. Simply note FCC Commissioners Copp and Adelstein seeking to impose public interest requirements on broadcasters for multicasting--the government should not be in the business of telling publishers and distributors of ideas/content what should or should not be carried.

Having said all that, it looks like February 10th is the decision day.

Independent and new cable networks need a Powell victory on this decision to keep as much bandwidth as possible available for different and diverse voices and messages..and to simply have a reasonable and fair chance to survive and make the business work.