TV Show Blackouts Would Be Barred in Bipartisan House Effort
- Scalise, Eshoo want to end signal cutoff during negotiations
- Fierce lobbying battle likely between broadcasters, cable
Photographer: Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg
This article is for subscribers only.
The second-ranking House Republican and a key Democrat say they’ll push to end broadcasters’ ability to black out signals during negotiations with cable and satellite service providers.
Republican Whip Steve Scalise and senior Energy and Commerce Committee member Anna Eshoo said Monday they will unveil a bill in the coming weeks. It’s likely to set off a fierce lobbying battle between broadcasters, which would lose negotiating leverage, and cable providers, which stand to benefit.