EchoStar Challenges Programming Rules
Tue Apr 2, 8:10 PM ET
By CATHERINE TSAI, Associated Press Writer
DENVER (AP) - EchoStar Communications Corp. is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the constitutionality of a federal law that keeps it from beaming local channels from one city into another.
The Littleton-based satellite TV company can offer ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX programming only from affiliates in each customer's viewing area. For instance, a Denver customer can only receive Denver stations.
EchoStar can offer local channels from other cities only if that city's designated local stations aren't available.
The company contends viewers should have the right to choose which channels they can receive.
"For the same reason that you can get newspapers from other cities, you should also be able to watch TV news from other cities," company spokesman Marc Lumpkin said Tuesday.
EchoStar contends that barring viewers from receiving distant networks is a violation of free-speech rights. The appeal was submitted last week.
$10 a month for E & W coast feeds & all the Raider agames I can watch...go EchoStar