ATVA Launches Major Effort to Support Senate “Local Choice” Proposal
National Campaign Consists of Radio, Print, Digital Ads in Local Outlets
Washington, D.C. August 27, 2014– The American Television Alliance announced on Wednesday that it launched a major campaign to educate Americans about the bipartisan “local choice” proposal recently announced by the leadership of the Senate Commerce Committee. The campaign is running nationally and includes ads on local radio stations and print and digital ads in local newspapers.
“The American people need to know there is a new proposal that will give them more transparency about the costs of broadcast TV programming and will end broadcast blackouts once and for all,” ATVA spokesman Brian Frederick said. “Local choice can provide them with actual TV freedom immediately.”
Local choice allows consumers to see exactly how much broadcast TV stations cost and decide which ones they want to pay for. The pay-TV companies will simply collect the money in full from consumers and pass it through to the broadcasters without any mark-ups.
The idea for local choice came from Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Ranking Member John Thune (R-SD), who propose including it as part of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA) reauthorization.
“Local choice is a bipartisan solution that is simple and elegant,” Frederick said. “Consumers are being punished by skyrocketing broadcast TV fees and blackouts. This gives them the choice for whether they want to pay for ‘free’ TV rather than being forced to, as they are now.”
You can view the print ad here. And here is the text:
We’re just two words away from the biggest viewer celebration ever.
The day may soon be coming when there are no more blackouts of your favorite TV shows. A day when you can choose which local broadcast channels you want, and clearly see what you are paying for them on your bill. With a simple idea called “local choice,” these improvements are possible.
Local choice will put an end to the back-and-forth negotiations between broadcast companies and cable and satellite companies. Instead, viewers can decide which local channels they want to pay for. And local choice will help update our TV laws to the 21st Century.
Congress is currently considering this important proposal. Please call your U.S. Senator and Representatives at 202-224-3121 and ask them for “local choice” today. And soon, we may all have something to celebrate.
You can listen to the radio ad here. And here is the radio ad script:
ANNCR: For America’s TV viewers there may soon be a new reason to celebrate. A simple idea called “local choice” could bring an end to programming black-outs.
SFX: CROWD OOOOS AS FIREWORK GOES OFF.
ANNCR: And with “local choice” viewers also get to choose which local broadcast channels they want.
SFX: CROWD AAAHHHS
ANNCR: And clearly see on their monthly bill exactly how much these local channels cost.
SFX: CROWD YEAAAAHHHHH
ANNCR: Local choice will put an end to the back-and-forth negotiations between broadcasters and cable and satellite companies. Instead, viewers can decide which local channels they want to pay for.
SFX: CROWD CHEERS AND WHISTLES
ANNCR: Local choice will help update our TV laws to the 21st Century. And right now, Congress is considering this important proposal. So ask Sen. Deb Fischer to support “local choice” at LocalChoice.TV. That’s LocalChoice.TV. And let the TV party begin.
SFX: CROWD APPLAUSE AND MUSIC