By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable Online, 7-12-16
As expected, the FCC’s set-top proposal got a lot of attention at the House Communications Subcommittee FCC oversight hearing Tuesday. Among the takeaways were that the U.S. Copyright Office is concerned about the proposal, and FCC chairman Tom wheeler is committed to working with the office to allay those concerns.
Wheeler also said he was encouraged by the cable operators’ “ditch the box” alternative to his own “unlock the box” proposal, or at least the signal it sent about willingness to talk, but did not show the proposal a lot of love, telling the legislators that “one page is not a proposal, it’s a press release.”
He also said that the cable proposal appeared to require a gateway device for TV sets, meaning another piece of hardware, adding that he knew how much the subcommittee didn’t like extra hardware. That was a reference to Republican and cable operator complaints that Wheeler’s “unlock the box” proposal could mean extra equipment.
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) channeled former Rep. John Dingell in asking a series of yes-or-no questions about the set-top proposal. » Read More