A line item on your BTES bill may help you understand the fee we are charged by the local broadcast network affiliates of ABC, CBS, CW, FOX, NBC, and the other required affiliated networks in exchange for consent to rebroadcast the same channels and programming that are available for free with an antenna. The US Congress has authorized broadcast stations to provide consent (grant or deny permission) for cable operators to retransmit the signal to customers. This agreement is typically renegotiated every three years.
In accordance with this law, BTES is required to obtain retransmission consent from various local broadcasters. The Federal Communications Act prohibits cable operators and other video programming distributors from retransmitting broadcast signals without first obtaining each broadcaster’s consent. Each broadcaster charges BTES a fee, which is called a Local Broadcast Retransmission Fee, for their consent to rebroadcast.
When BTES started providing cable service in 2005, the retransmission fees charged by local broadcasters amounted to .75 cents per customer per month. These fees have continued to rise and drastically increase as shown on the line item on your bill. The entire amount collected for the Local Broadcast Retransmission Fees is remitted to the local broadcast networks.
We urge our customers to get the facts and be informed by visiting www.tvonmyside.com/btes
