AT&T's McKone Counters NAB's Claim It's 'Misleading' on STELA Renewal

AT&T Executive Vice President-Federal Relations Tim McKone disputed NAB's characterization of DirecTV's pro-Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act reauthorization ads as “disingenuous at best, deceptive at worst” (see 1909120067). Top House and Senate Commerce Committee leaders appear to favor STELA renewal, but the issue has taken a backseat to other legislative priorities (see 1908050037 and 1909100064). “Contrary to your assertions, it is essential for Congress to renew” STELA, McKone said in a letter to NAB CEO Gordon Smith released Friday. “Absent renewal, 870,000 customers … could lose access to their network channels” in some cases because of broadcasters not providing them an over-the-air signal. Sans STELA “local broadcasters could more freely engage in blackouts that needlessly deprive customers their programming,” McKone said. He cited DirecTV subscribers' encounters with blackouts amid disagreements with broadcasters over retransmission agreement disputes. “That trend is simply unsustainable and expiration of the good-faith requirements” included in STELA “would make this bad situation worse,” McKone said. He also aimed to correct NAB's claim that DirecTV provides limited or no access to locally broadcast network stations in 12 markets (see 1903150045). In those markets DirecTV subscribers have access to local stations' terrestrial signals because AT&T gives them an antenna, McKone said. AT&T also gives subscribers in those markets a $3 discount on all packages.