NAB Attacks Cable on HDTV

[Gregg Lengling]

The National Association of Broadcasters alleged
Monday that cable operators are blocking customer
access to broadcast HDTV signals, and it used
the Super Bowl to illustrate its complaint.

The association said viewers in 64 of 80 markets
where local stations have converted to digital
HDTV were unable to watch the Super Bowl on
Sunday through their local cable system.

"It's disappointing that cable TV operators are
continuing to block viewer access to digital and
HDTV programming delivered by local broadcasters,"
said NAB President and CEO Edward Fritts. "One
would think that cable operators would want to
provide their customers with access to broadcast
HDTV programming like the Super Bowl, which year
in and year out is the country's most watched
program."

The NAB complaints came after ABC partnered with
top MSOs to deliver the big game to cable
subscribers.

The NAB said ABC affiliates broadcasting HDTV cover
69 percent of U.S. households, but cable operators
in markets that have access to an ABC HDTV signal
deliver that feed to only 27 percent of TV households.
Also, the association pointed to earlier findings
that suggested cable operators are carrying fewer
than 10 percent of the 700 local television
stations that have made the transition to digital.

CableFAX Daily reported that the National Cable
and Telecommunications Association found it
regrettable that "many stations have rejected
the guidance of FCC chairman Michael Powell
so that cable could regularly offer ABC HD
broadcasts without charging an additional fee."

The NCTA added, "Even more regrettable is the
failure of other ABC stations, serving more
than 30 percent of TV households, to offer any
HDTV, months after an FCC deadline, so fans
could view the game via an antenna. Instead,
the free spectrum given to these broadcasters
for digital spectaculars like the Super Bowl
remains idle."