Broadcast TV Stations Are Demanding Payment from Cable TV Systems to Carry Their Broadcast Programming

Cablevision of Marion County is currently in discussions with the FCC to keep cable TV rates from being increased simply because TV Broadcast Stations want more money.

When Cable TV was created years ago, Broadcast TV Stations begged local cable companies to carry their programming.   This gave the TV Stations a much larger viewing audience—thus allowing them to charge advertisers a higher rate.  In return, Cable TV Companies agreed to pay content owners (or artists) annual copyright fees since their programming was being aired on the cable TV channels.

Now the TV Broadcasters are demanding the cable companies pay a significant fee to continue carrying their  local TV stations.  This will require the cable companies to pay more to the copyright owners AND also to the TV broadcasters.  The cable companies are fighting this proposal on behalf of you, the cable subscribers.  The reason?—not only is it unfair but the amount being asked by the broadcasters is extremely high; therefore, if paid by the cable company, cable subscriber rates would increase significantly.

We urge each of our cable TV subscribers to call and write their elected representatives to protest these unfair charges. 

WEB RUNNING OUT OF ADDRESSES

The Internet Assigned Number Authority (IANA) has exhausted its supply of existing IP addresses.  Fortunately, the cable industry has foreseen this problem and has for several years been preparing for a transition from the current IPv4 that would minimize the impact on its internet uses. 

As a way of background:  The internet is truly a network of networks – a global communications platform with no single authority. Internet Protocol addresses are the key to this system so each internet-capable device is assigned an IP address.  That address allows that particular devise to send and receive messages.  Currently internet traffic travels via the Internet Protocol version called IPv4.  IPv4 was designed to meet the needs of about 4.3 billion devices--originally thought to be plenty of capacity. But everyone has joined the internet “bandwagon” meaning soon that number will be reached and capacity depleted.

The solution to the IPv4 crunch is to transition to IPv6 which has dramatically larger address space--128 address bits compared to the 32 address bits in IPv4.  This transition will require participation from everyone:  content providers and websites; ISPs; equipment vendors; and consumers.  Simply put:  The entire Internet “ecosystem” will be involved.

We thought you would find this interesting.  We will keep you informed as things continue to change.