NAB to FCC: Don't Extend HD Carriage Waiver

The National Association of Broadcasters told the Federal Communications Commission it should deny a request by smaller cable operators for an extension of their exemption from having to carry TV station signals in high definition.

"ACA has failed to meet its burden of justifying its requested blanket waiver, and the two other cable industry commenters have not supplied the legal and factual bases missing from ACA's petition and comments," said NAB in reply comments. "If, despite its highly dubious legal foundation, the Commission nonetheless extends the HD exemption in some form, we urge the FCC to more appropriately define the systems eligible for the exemption and require systems to establish their eligibility for it."