ATVA Applauds Senator Wicker for Introducing Satellite Television Access Reauthorization
870,000 Americans Should Not be Threatened with a TV Blackout
WASHINGTON, DC – The American Television Alliance (ATVA) today applauded Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) for introducing The Satellite Television Access Reauthorization (STAR Act), legislation that would prevent a TV blackout of 870,000 Americans and protect the FCC’s “good faith” authority during retransmission consent negotiations.
“ATVA applauds Senator Wicker for his leadership on this important issue. 870,000 families across the country shouldn’t suffer a Congressional TV blackout, but that is exactly what will happen if Congress fails to act. We urge the committee to not only renew the current law but to fix this broken system that has brought record blackouts and allowed broadcasters to raise fees paid by cable and satellite customers by more than 5,000%. Enough is enough,” said Trent Duffy, ATVA spokesman.
The Following Groups are in Support of Reauthorizing STELAR:
| ACA Connects | Consumer Policy Solutions | National Rural Electric Cooperative Association |
| Altice | Consumer Reports | New America |
| AT&T | CWA – Communication Workers of America | NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association |
| bendbroadband | Dish | Open Technology Institute at New America |
| CALInnovates | Frontier Communications | Parents Television Council |
| century link | Golden West Telecommunications | Public Knowledge |
| CFIF – Center for Individual Freedom | Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership | Revolt |
| Charter Spectrum | IBEW – International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers | RideTV |
| Cinemoi | Internet Innovation Alliance | SBCA – Satellite Broadcasting & Communications Association |
| Common Cause | ITTA – The Voice of America’s Broadband Providers | The National Grange |
| Consumer Action | MAVTV | USTelecom |
| Consumer Federation of America | Mediacom | Verizon |
| WTA – Advocates for Rural Broadband |
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The American Television Alliance (ATVA) brings together an unprecedented coalition of consumer groups, cable, satellite, telephone companies, and independent programmers to raise awareness about the risk TV viewers face as broadcasters increasingly threaten service disruptions that would deny viewers access to the programs they and their families enjoy.
For more information about ATVA, visit our website. Follow us on Twitter @ATVAlliance.