Prohibiting joint retransmission consent negotiations among broadcasters is...

Prohibiting joint retransmission consent negotiations among broadcasters is “an important step” in reforming retrans negotiations as a whole, pay-TV representatives told FCC commissioners Ajit Pai and Mike O'Rielly and staff from Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel’s office in meetings last week, according to an ex parte filing (http://bit.ly/1lhhEMg). Charter, Dish Network, the American Cable Association, Time Warner Cable and DirecTV all participated in the meetings. Such arrangements are “starkly anticompetitive and harmful to consumers,” the ex parte said. The commission has received “empirical evidence” showing that retrans fees can be “up to 43 percent higher for jointly negotiated ‘Big Four’ stations that elect retransmission consent than the average fee paid for separately negotiated ‘Big Four’ stations,” the ex parte said.