C-SPAN, Discovery Communications, the Weather Channel, TV One, A&E Television Networks and Scripps Networks are suing the FCC in federal court for violating their free speech rights by ordering cable systems to carry both analog and digital channels.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, the cable programmers argue the FCC exceeded its congressional authority to regulate them and told the court on Monday that “the FCC was playing favorites by granting broadcasters “dual must-carry” rights.”
The rule would require almost all cable operators to re-create the analog version of a local broadcast station’s signal and reserve channel space to carry both analog and digital versions for at least the following three years.