House OKs Bill to Foster Local Programs on Satellite TV

The House approved legislation Thursday designed to encourage satellite television companies to provide local channels in the packages they sell in rural areas, giving tens of millions of viewers access to local programming that they cannot receive now.

The measure, already passed by the Senate in similar form, would establish a $1.2-billion federal loan-guarantee program to help satellite firms purchase the technology they need to provide such services in areas that cannot get local channels by any other means.

The legislation now goes to a joint House-Senate conference committee, which is expected to resolve minor differences between the two bills. President Clinton already has indicated that he will sign the legislation.

House passage capped a lengthy campaign to provide the local channels for residents of out-of-the-way areas. Rural customers have complained for years that they are unable to get important news and public safety programs because they are out of range of broadcast signals.

Although Congress passed legislation last fall to remove legal barriers to expansion by satellite TV companies, the carriers say that they only intend to provide local programming in the nation’s most populous--and profitable--markets, largely because the effort is so costly.

Satellite companies say that the equipment they need to transmit local programming to rural customers--translators and repeaters necessary to boost TV signals sufficiently--is prohibitively expensive.

If the satellite companies take full advantage of the loan guarantee program, it is expected to affect up to 30 million households in 27 states, including California.

The measure is designed to provide rural areas with an alternative to cable TV, which often does not provide local programming and sometimes is expensive for rural customers.

Like the Senate measure, the House bill enjoyed strong bipartisan support. The vote of 375 to 37 followed a 97-0 Senate vote last month. Five of the no votes were cast by Republicans among California’s House delegation. They were Christopher Cox of Newport Beach, John T. Doolittle of Rocklin, Gary G. Miller of Diamond Bar, Dana Rohrabacher of Huntington Beach and Edward R. Royce of Fullerton.