Dish, DirecTV Back STELA Compromise

Satellite companies Dish and DirecTV said they support a compromise struck by House Commerce Committee members on the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act and urged swift passage.

The bipartisan bill, which is expected to pass in the upcoming markup, does a number of things, including at its heart renewing the compulsory license that allows those operators to deliver distant TV station signals to 1.5 million subs who don't get a local over-the-air version in their market.

Another major element is preventing coordinated retransmission consent negotiations by broadcasters.