WASHINGTON—FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced that she has circulated to her colleagues a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would try to better understand the challenges related to distribution and supply in the video market, especially as it relates to independent programming.
The move comes at a time when many aspects of the video creation and distribution business remain highly concentrated and a number of players, including broadcasters, would like to see regulators allow even more consolidation.
In announcing the circulation of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the FCC noted that one of the Commission’s primary statutory objectives with respect to multichannel video programming is to foster a diverse, robust, and competitive marketplace for the delivery of such programming.
In today’s video landscape, consumers have many video programming platforms to choose from and competition among distributors of video programming continues to evolve, the FCC said.
Nevertheless, the FCC added that stakeholders continue to raise concerns that certain marketplace practices by distributors may hinder independent video programmers from reaching consumers across all video platforms. These practices may also deprive consumers of access to their choice of diverse programming—one of the benefits of enhanced competition in the video marketplace, the FCC said.
If adopted, this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would initiate a new proceeding to seek comment on the current state of the marketplace for diverse and independent programming, the FCC announced.
Specifically, the item would seek comment on the obstacles faced by independent programmers seeking multichannel video programming distributor carriage and carriage on online platforms, how this impacts consumers, and the action the Commission may take to alleviate such obstacles so that its policies can promote competition in the marketplace consistent with our statutory responsibilities, the FCC said.
