HOUSE COMMERCE EYES VIDEO BUILDOUT DEAL, PICKERING SAYS

摘要

House Commerce Committee members are nearing agreement on requiring video franchise buildouts by new entrants into the pay TV market, Rep. Chip Pickering (R-Miss.) said in a speech to broadcasters. Buildout requirements, part of the contentious video franchising issue, is one factor stalling on possible telecom reform in Congress this year. Bells including Verizon have said they shouldn抰 be forced to offer TV to everyone in a locality, but a law heading toward passage in Va. and backed by Verizon would require buildout to 80% of a territory within 10 years. Committee Chmn. Joe Barton (R- Tex.) said he hoped talks this week among Pickering and Commerce and Telecom Subcommittee leaders would yield a bipartisan telecom bill.