[mythtv-users] Cable Programmers versus the FCC

[David Brodbeck]

Brian Wood wrote:
> R. G. Newbury wrote:
>> For US (and Canadian) myth users, The Blog of the Legal Times (*BLT*) 
>> reports on a scrap between cable channel progam providers and the FCC 
>> regarding carriage rules.... which impact what *we* receive over cable.
>>
>> http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2008/09/cable-programme.html
> 
> Then there is this part:
> 
> "And Kavanaugh noted that boxes to allow analog subscribers to receive
> digital signals would ensure that the programmers’ First Amendment
> rights were not violated."
> 
> This is not necessarily the case. The boxes I've seen receive ATSC, not
> QAM, and would thus be useless on a CATV system.

Maybe they mean cable boxes.  Surely your cable company will be happy to 
supply you with a box that can accept a QAM signal and display it on 
your analog TV -- for a nominal monthly fee, of course, just like they 
do now with their "digital tier."

How this plays out on any given system will depend a lot on the 
franchise agreement the cable company signed, since those agreements 
often require an inexpensive "basic" tier of service.  If you're 
concerned about this, consider writing a letter to your city councilman 
explaining the issue to him/her.