FCC denies broadcaster complaint in DirecTV retrans dispute


Details

Michelle Clancy

| 12 November 2015





The FCC's Media Bureau has denied an emergency complaint from seven TV broadcasters against DirecTV.


The seven are arguing that the satellite giant violated the agency's "good-faith order" during retransmission consent negotiations earlier this year and delayed dispute resolution by not providing comparable pricing information from its other retrans agreements.

Northwest Broadcasting, Broadcasting Licenses, Mountain Licenses, Stainless Broadcasting, Eagle Creek Broadcasting of Laredo, Bristlecone Broadcasting and Blackhawk Broadcasting have been in negotiations with DirecTV since May.

"The uncontested record demonstrates that DirecTV has provided offers and counter-offers throughout the negotiations and even made offers more favourable to Northwest in the absence of a counter-offer by Northwest," the FCC said. "As to Northwest's argument that DirecTV caused a delay by not providing the 'background facts' requested ... we do not find any evidence that DirecTV acted in a manner that unduly delayed the course of negotiation."

The Commission added that "such a disagreement leading to the inability to conclude a retransmission-consent agreement does not amount to bad faith".