Religious TV and Cable Battle Over Multicast Must Carry Bill

• Trinity Broadcasting Network
Paul Crouch Jr., Vice President of Administration for TBN, says, "Without this law the cable and satellite companies will not readily add new Christian channels. This law will help put JCTV, Church Channel, TBN Enlace and our new network Smile of a Child on cable systems across America."
• The Christian Coalition of America
In a statement on their web site, CCA says, "We strongly believe that without "multicast must-carry" the conservative, faith and family broadcasters will be at a disadvantage. Congress' inclusion of a "multicast must-carry" provision in its new digital television legislation would maintain the status-quo and keep the level playing field that religious broadcasters need in order to survive in the digital television environment. With multicast must-carry, religious broadcasters will maintain a proportionate voice on America's cable systems and secure a place for small and independent broadcasters."
• The National Assn. of Broadcasters
NAB President Eddie Fritts and other senior org officials emphasized that winning multicast must-carry on cable is their "No. 1 priority."

"We have been focused like a laser," Fritts said. "We have been working around the clock."

• Consumers Union, the Consumer Federation of America, Free Press, and the Center for Digital Democracy
In a letter to the House and Senate Commerce Committees, Consumers Union, the Consumer Federation of America, Free Press, and the Center for Digital Democracy wrote, "…there exists no compelling public policy reason at this time to extend this requirement to all digital channels, nor is there a significant consumer benefit of doing so." The groups also argued the "dominant broadcasters would only see their already significant megaphone amplified under multicast must-carry, creating the very outcome that Congress has sought to avoid when it rejected FCC’s broadcast ownership rules—the expansion of the reach of dominant media voices.

For example, in a digital environment, FOX, CBS and NBC alone would own stations capable of broadcasting 400 or more channels in the top 25 markets, all of which would have to be carried on cable and satellite systems."

• National Cable and Telecommunications Assn.
Brian Dietz, spokesman for NCTA says, "Cable broadcasters are saying that we are forced by the government to carry the local broadcaster, which we're happy to do and which includes a lot of religious broadcasters and if the additional broadcast signals want carriage, then they should have to compete with other networks, which could potentially include religious cable networks at well. Our arguement is that if it's good programming, and something consumers are interested in, then cable will carry it."

Dietz also points out that not all religious channels are in support of the bill. He says, "The Inspiration network is a cable network and they've written to Congress urging them to reject this mandate because it could threaten their carriage since they're not a local broadcast network, therefore not guaranteed carriage."

While religious programming does have a part in this, is the bottom line of the debate really about family/religious TV vs. stuff you won't let your kids watch or is religion being used to get people to support an issue that isn't really about our rights as Christians at all?

As is the case with all "hot topics," both sides have some valid points and I believe that both sides are glossing over anything that takes the focus away from their main "talking points." Hopefully our government officials will be able to find an effective compromise.