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Originally posted by TheFerret
This is BS. I bet movie theaters would love to apply that line of thinking. ... |
Not sure I understand the analogy.
Quote:
Originally posted by TheFerret
How about this. I don't expect jack from the locals and pretty much get exactly what I expect. With this in mind, I am certainly not forcing them to engage in this business, and to back that up I can say I don't want their business. BUT, to sentance me through enforcement to NOT get what I want when the service provider (DBS) and the customer (me) are wishing to engage in a business relationship is absolute bull ****.
If the FCC can disallow DBS mergers to promote intra-DBS compeition then why can't their be intra-affiliate (a la CBS) competition? |
I agree that the enforcement is ridiculous. I have been dealing with the same where I live. Can't get a channel no matter what, had to jump through hoops to get the waiver.
I can understand in concept though what they are trying to do. It has been determined that this broadcast media has some level of public interest responsibility that is best served by local stations. How much is certainly debatable, and not everyone appreciates what having a local station provides, whether it is news, community information, severe weather warnings, public access programming, other local interest programming like sports for markets that still do this, and a place for local advertisers to promote their businesses where they can afford the air time as well as target an audience who might actually use their business.
I guess the fear is that the public interest is not served by allowing local stations to be put out of business because they can't compete with a national entity. If "free" commercial TV goes away, some segment of the population won't have access due to financial or geographical issues. Small businesses won't be able to advertise on the most powerful medium that exists. Competition will eventually suffer after a lot of it is killed off and a handful of media corporations own all the broadcasting outlets and content.
Again, I do think the enforcement is ridiculous however...if you can't be adequately served by an existing station, I don't see how they should be able to call you their customer. And I certainly think there is quite an overhaul that could be done to the rules...