December 2006

I. Legislative Branch Activity

A. EchoStar Pleas for Congressional Help.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit found EchoStar in violation of the Satellite Home Viewer Act by regularly and unlawfully delivering out-of-market stations in competition to local stations that carry the same network programming. The Court set a deadline of December 1 for EchoStar to shutdown all distant networks, those deemed illegal and legal. An effort to reach a settlement with broadcasters failed when Fox and its affiliates refused to sign on. In late November, the Court of Appeals rejected EchoStar’s final plea to delay the December 1 cutoff. Continue Reading Washington Update – November 2006