Satellite Firms Must Carry Local TV
EchoStar Communications Corp. and other satellite-television companies lost a challenge to a U.S. requirement that they provide all local TV broadcasts if they carry one of the TV stations in a market.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit refused to overturn the federal law, and Federal Communications Commission rules implementing the law, that forces them to carry multiple local broadcasts starting in January.
EchoStar and other companies said carrying all local stations would take up too much space on their nationwide networks and violate their free-speech rights.
Supporters of the rule said it’s vital that local news and opinion are available as more viewers get TV through national satellite networks and big cable systems.
Shares of EchoStar fell 47 cents to $26.27 on Nasdaq.
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