CWA Urges STELA Renewal; Smaller Video Providers Want Good Faith Protections Parity

Communications Workers of America urged Congress' Commerce and Judiciary committees to reauthorize the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act. Five communications industry groups, including America’s Communications Association and NTCA, meanwhile, urged lawmakers to include “language to promote the use of buying group marketplace solutions” in a final STELA measure. Both legislative pushes came before a planned Wednesday Senate Commerce Committee hearing on renewal (see 1910160036). “Failure to reauthorize STELA means that more than 870,000 satellite subscribers, most of whom are rural customers, would lose access to network TV programming from the loss of the distant signal license,” said CWA Senior Director-Government Affairs and Policy Shane Larson in letters to the committees' leaders. “CWA has gained recognition of tens of thousands of [DirecTV] employees whose union contract provides good wages, benefits, and working conditions,” which STELA recertification “will help protect.” Larson sought permanent reauthorization, citing “lack of parity in the treatment of out-of-market licensing for cable and satellite providers.” The five industry groups said pro-buying group language, such as in the Modern Television Act (HR-3994), would give “buying groups used by smaller providers access to the same good faith protections afforded to large providers.” ITTA, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and WTA also signed the letter.