The Colorado Broadcasters Association appreciates both Senators Udall and Bennet’s desire to bring Colorado programming to the beautiful Four Corners region of our state. We empathize with the frustration felt by the pay-TV viewers in these counties who want to see their local news and get Colorado information.
In response to these Senators concerns, today Colorado television stations deliver Colorado news, political coverage and public affairs programming free of charge to Montezuma and LaPlata Counties on cable systems. These, free-market negotiated, marketplace agreements demonstrate that legislation is unnecessary to remedy this problem as long as there is a willingness from the pay-TV provider to service their viewers.
Unfortunately, DISH Network and DirecTV, two of the largest pay-TV providers in the country, have made a business decision to ignore these Colorado residents.
Respectfully, we oppose this legislative approach and strongly encourage DISH and DirecTV to work with Colorado’s Broadcasters on a swift resolution without disrupting the legal framework that underpins the television marketplace.