By Matt Polka, ACA Connects President & CEO
ACA Connects welcomes the FCC’s decision to implement provisions of the Television Viewer Protection Act that permit buying groups representing smaller multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) to negotiate retransmission consent agreements with large television broadcasters. The FCC’s action will benefit both the MVPD members of such buying groups and the broadcasters with whom such buying groups negotiate.
We especially appreciate the FCC’s decision to interpret the key statutory terms “large station group” and “qualified MVPD buying group” in a manner consistent with the statutory text. This decision, unopposed by any party, will ensure that the provision functions as Congress intended.
We appreciate the FCC’s swift action so operators may take advantage of the provision when renegotiating their contracts set to expire at the end of the year.
