PITTSBURGH, July 31, 2017 – American Cable Association President and CEO Matthew M. Polka issued the following statement regarding introduction of the Viewer and Listener Protection Act of 2017 by Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hi.) and other Senators:
“ACA appreciates this new bill introduced by Sen. Moran, Sen. Schatz and their colleagues which will make more money available to the Federal Communications Commission to prevent consumers from losing access to broadcast channels as a result of the recently concluded broadcast TV incentive auction.
“Under the Moran/Schatz bill, the FCC may allocate additional money to provide reimbursements to both cable operators and broadcasters if the agency deems it needs more than the original $1.75 billion allocation. ACA is pleased that the bill ensures that FCC funding is accessible to smaller cable operators and gives equal priority to whoever requests such funds, whether it is a cable operator or broadcaster. Our members are appreciative of this financial support that will enable them to continue offering broadcast channels to their customers without interruption.”
Additional bill sponsors include: Sens. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Tom Udall (D-Colo.).
About the American Cable Association: Based in Pittsburgh, the American Cable Association is a trade organization representing about 850 smaller and medium-sized, independent cable companies who provide broadband services for nearly 7 million cable subscribers primarily located in rural and smaller suburban markets across America. Through active participation in the regulatory and legislative process in Washington, D.C., ACA’s members work together to advance the interests of their customers and ensure the future competitiveness and viability of their business. For more information, visit https://acaconnects.org/