WTA Encouraged by Senator Rockefeller’s Efforts to Reform Video Marketplace
WTA is encouraged by the release of the text of the Consumer Choice in Online Video Act by Senator Jay Rockefeller, Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
“WTA welcomes Senator Rockefeller’s contributions to the on-going reform conversations aimed at revising our nation’s video market and retransmission consent regulations,” said Derrick Owens, WTA’s Vice President of Government Affairs. “Small rural video distributors continue to face high prices for video content creating obstacles to providing competitive video subscription service to consumers in rural areas. Our hope is that in addition to unleashing competition in the video distribution process, future legislation will address the current uneven regulatory scheme that forces small rural video distributors to pay higher per-subscriber rates than the already artificially high prices larger competitors pay for must-have content, as well as forced tying of associated programming that further increases prices for consumers.
“WTA looks forward to working with Senator Rockefeller and other policymakers to enact legislation that helps to avoid programming blackouts, while leveling the playing field for small rural video providers, increasing competition in the MVPD market and creating more options and lower prices for consumers,” said Owens.
