DirecTV in the News

Court Upholds Satellite TV Ruling

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - 12/09/01 - A federal appeals court Friday upheld a decision that requires satellite providers to carry all local public television stations if they choose to air any in a particular market.

Previously, satellite companies could select which stations to air. Starting Jan. 1, the companies must run all local stations, if they choose to run one. The companies still can opt not to run any.

The decision by a three-judge panel of the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds a ruling a federal judge issued in June. It still can be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Satellite Broadcasting and Communications Association and companies EchoStar and DirecTV sued the Federal Communications Commission in September 2000, arguing that its "must-carry'' rules violated the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The appellate court stated that the FCC rule was a "reasonable, content-neutral restriction on satellite carriers' speech'' and served substantial government interests.