The Honorable Julius Genachowski
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, DC 20554
555 INDEPENDENCE STREET
SUITE 1400
CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO 63703
(513)335-0101
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2230 RAYBURN House OFFICE BUILDING
WASHINGTON, DC 20515
(202) 22s-4404
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SUITE 300
WEST PLAINS, MO 65775
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May 10,2011
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JO ANN EMERSON
MEMBER OF CONGRESS
8TH DISTRICT MISSOURI
SUBCOMMITTEES
CHAIR, fiNANCIAL
SERVICES AND GENERAL GOVERNMENT
AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT.
FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION,
AND RELATED AGENCIES
LEGISLATiVe BRANCH
Dear Chairman Genachowski:
1appreciate the Federal Communications Commission's decision to begin the
rulemaJdng process regarding retransmission consent negotiations. This is an issue of
great concern to the rural pay-TV providers in Southern Missouri, and 1encourage you to
complete this proceeding in time for any new rules to govern this year's retransmission
consent negotiations.
I've heard from a number of my state's smaller pay-TV providers about how the
video marketplace has fundamentally changed since the introduction of the
retransmission consent framework nearly two decades ago. As a result of these changes,
I've been told negotiations breakdown more frequently, consumers lose broadcast signals
more often, and retransmission consent fees rise more quickly, resulting in significant
inconvenience to consumers and higher pay-TV bills.
In light ofthese problems, I'm pleased the FCC is looking into this matter.
Examining whether the retransmission consent rules have failed to keep up with
significant changes in the video marketplace since 1992 is appropriate, timely, and
imponant. Moreover, examining specific rule changes to help protect consumers, allow
retransmission consent negotiations to proceed more smoothly, and provide greater
certainty to the negotiating parties also is proper.
I appreciate your effort to tackle this difficult issue but urge you to complete this
rulemaking in time for any adopted rule changes to govern this year'.s carriage talks.
With more than a thousand carriage deals set to expire by the end of this year, it is
essential that the Commission have new rules in place to help avoid the types ofcarriage
disruptions for consumers that we've seen increasingly occur.
PRINTfD ON RECVCllO PAPER
Thank you for your consideration of my request and I look forward to hearing
from you on this matter of importance that affects my constituents.
CC: Commissioner Michael J. Copps
Commissioner Robert M. McDowell
Commissioner Mignon Clyburn
Commissioner Meredith Attwell Baker