American Television Alliance Issues Statement on FCC Refund Proceeding

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Television Alliance (ATVA) issued a statement today in response to the FCC’s proposal requiring providers to refund customers for broadcast blackouts.

“Every single service disruption involving broadcast stations occurs because broadcasters want consumers to pay more money and cable and satellite providers want consumers to pay less money,” said ATVA spokesperson Cora Mandy. “So, in proposing to require cable and satellite companies to offer refunds when they refuse to meet broadcasters’ outrageous pricing demands, the FCC seeks to punish the wrong set of parties.  In doing so, it will cause higher bills for the consumers it hopes to protect.”   

The broken retransmission consent system led to over 200 blackouts in 2023 alone. The FCC’s tithe proposal, if adopted, comes at the expense of subscribers who already pay the price for broadcaster’s greed. Broadcasters have increased retransmission consent fees by an overwhelming 1,529%, since 2010. 

To learn more about outdated broadcast regulations and their impact on the American consumer, visit https://americantelevisionalliance.org/about-the-issue/.