.JULIUS GENACHOWSKI
CHAIRMAN
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
February 16,2012
The Honorable Charles Bass
U.S. House of Representatives
2350 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Congressman Bass:
Thank you for your letter expressing concern about the retransmission consent
negotiations between DIRECTV and Sunbeam Television Corporation. I share your concern for
consumers caught in the middle ofprotracted negotiations. As you know, Commission staff
continually monitored this situation and reached out to the parties for status updates. I am
pleased that the parties were able to reach an agreement.
Commission staff is reviewing the record developed in response to the Commission's
No/ice ofProposed Ru/emaking to determine ifproposed changes to its retransmission consent
rules are warranted. The Commission also remains available as a resource ifCongress chooses
to revisit the statutory framework for retransmission consent.
I appreciate your interest in this matter. Please let me know if I can be of any further
assistance.
Sincerely,
Julius Genachowski
445 12TH STREET s.w. WASHINGTON. D.C 20554 • 202-4 I 8-' 000