ATVA Wants Top-Four 'Loophole' Closed in Large Markets
Broadcasters shouldn’t be able to use multicast channels or low-power TV stations as a "loophole" to get around limits on top-four duopolies in markets with four, five or six commercial stations, the American Television Alliance said in meetings with aides…
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to FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and Commissioners Nathan Simington, Geoffrey Starks and Brendan Carr, according to an ex parte filing posted in docket 18-349 Thursday. The draft 2018 quadrennial review order would limit such combinations (see 2312060065). ATVA said it doesn’t oppose the practice in small markets, but broadcasters seek “to apply this exception to much larger markets, perhaps even including Boston,” the filings said. For large markets where multicasting or LPTV is truly needed to provide viewers with access to top-four programming, the FCC “already has a case-by-case process to address such situations,” ATVA said. “The real-world evidence seems to show no correlation between use of the loopholes and commitment to local news,” the filing said.