Just a quick reminder to those interested in learning more about the new big business booster Fox Business Channel. The channel’s guarantee of all too rare carriage by the cable monopoly is made possible because of a corrupt law passed by (the still Democratic-controlled under the influence of the NAB) Congress back in 1992. “Retransmission consent”–a policy that has given tens of billions of dollars worth of cable, satellite, and now telephone (Verizon, etc.) channels to big broadcasters such as Fox, Disney/ABC; Scripps, Sinclair, CBS and others–is a huge scandal. The law has enabled the already too powerful to become ever more so. It is even being used now to extend the power of the largest television broadcasters onto the key broadband platforms controlled by cable and phone companies. That’s why companies such as Disney/ABC are silent now about the killing-off of network neutrality: they got their access via retranmission consent deals.
Murdoch’s Fox has used “retrans” consent to help get prime position cable carriage for its new pro-business channel from such key gatekeepers as Comcast and Time Warner (he also used the leverage of renewing the carriage for Fox News. Of course, Murdoch’s control over DirecTV has also helped boost Fox’s distribution). We don’t have time now to go into this (plug: I cover this issue in my book). But the point here is that media advocates should press for the repeal of retrans consent. It should be replaced by a universal access to all programming content rule where all platforms–PC, mobile, and cable/satellite/IPTV–must be fully open to all content. No “triple plays” for a powerful handful; no Mafia-like retrans deals where media giants carve up the digital TV and broadband `pie.’ It’s time to dismantle the gatekeepers.
