Bells' fiber plans spark political flame war

"Stations would lose audience share and advertising dollars, and these dollars fund local programming that makes broadcasting valuable," Greg Schmidt, a lawyer speaking on behalf of the influential National Association of Broadcasters, told a House of Representatives panel on Wednesday. The NAB represents local radio and TV broadcasters. .... Congress should prohibit SBC and Verizon from offering digital TV unless the companies follow an extensive list of government regulations, Schmidt said. Among them: Local broadcasters must remain the only source for network programming; fiber providers must be required to "black out" the availability of certain sports games; and local TV broadcasts must be carried on fiber networks."