CEMA Urges Congress To Act Quickly On Satellite Home Viewer Act Legislation
In a letter to key congressional leaders, Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (CEMA) President Gary Shapiro urged ""immediate action on and support of the Satellite Home Viewer Act (SHVA) reauthorization."" Specifically, Shapiro called on members of the Conference Committee appointed to reconcile House and Senate versions of the SHVA legislation to incorporate the provisions described in an agreement between DirecTV, Inc. - the leading provider of direct broadcast satellite (DBS) entertainment - and the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) in the final legislation. The DirecTV ñ NAB agreement, unanimously endorsed by CEMA's Executive Committee earlier this month, outlines the conditions under which DBS providers would be able to deliver local broadcast channels. Approval of the SHVA legislation will allow DBS providers to deliver local channels within the stations' local viewing areas. ""Passage of the SHVA legislation that incorporates the provisions of the DirecTV - NAB agreement will help generate a large audience for exciting new products and services like HDTVs with integrated DBS receivers and digital TV set-top boxes with DBS capability,"" explained Shapiro. ""We strongly believe that resolution of the so-called local-into-local issue, along with the other provisions included in the agreement, will serve as the catalyst to drive DBS system sales along with related video products and accessories."" Originally enacted in 1988, the SHVA allows satellite companies to deliver distant network signals to those households that cannot receive over-the-air broadcasts from their local network TV stations. Under the agreement between NAB and DirecTV, satellite providers would be allowed to deliver local channels into local markets and provide up to two distant affiliate stations of each network to their eligible subscribers. The agreement also eliminates the 90-day waiting period for current cable customers to subscribe to distant network signals via satellite. CEMA is a sector of the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), the 75-year-old Arlington, Virginia-based trade organization representing all facets of electronics manufacturing. CEMA represents more than 500 U.S. manufacturers of audio, video, accessories, mobile electronics, communication, information technology and multimedia products that are sold through consumer channels. CEMA also sponsors and manages the International CES ñ Your Source for Workstyle and Lifestyle Technology. All profits from CES are reinvested into industry services, including technical training and education, product promotion, engineering standards development, market research and governmental and legal affairs support. As the first major technology event of the new millennium, the 2000 International CES is the launch pad for 21st century technology. For more information, contact Matt Swanston, CEMA at 703 907 7665 or email: mswanston@eia.org.