Petition asks FCC to allow in-state signals to northern Wisconsin residents trying to access Packers games and Wisconsin news; DirecTV says it will support it

WASHINGTON — Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) on Monday again called on Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler to act expeditiously on Gray Television’s petition to provide in-state signals to northern Wisconsin residents trying to access Wisconsin local news, weather reports and sports such as Green Bay Packers games.

Last week, Senator Johnson filed comments with the FCC in support of Gray Television’s petition.  On Monday, Sen. Johnson received a letter from a satellite provider, DirecTV, stating its support of the Wisconsin broadcaster’s petition – all but solidifying a no-brainer decision by the FCC to grant the petition.  

Sen. Johnson said, “Last Congress, I successfully pushed for a process for Wisconsin broadcasters to petition the FCC to modify television markets in Wisconsin and allow satellite providers to carry in-state signals. I am pleased to announce that today a satellite provider agreed to support the petition filed last month by Gray Television’s WSAW. DirecTV says it can provide service to all of Iron County and some of Ashland County. This is a big step forward, and I will continue to work with the FCC, Gray and DirecTV on getting the rest of Ashland County covered throughout this process. All Wisconsinites, regardless of what part of the state they live in, deserve access to Packers games and Wisconsin news. I again ask Chairman Wheeler to act expeditiously on this matter.”

DirecTV Executive Vice President of Federal Relations Tim McKone wrote: “I appreciate your leadership on market modification issues and the commitment you have to your constituents to ensure they are receiving local news and programming. DirecTV evaluated Gray TV’s petition and relevant ZIP codes, and intends to comply with the intent of the STELAR Act by supporting the proposed modifications subject to constraints of our spot beam coverage.”

Sen. Johnson called on Chairman Wheeler last month to act quickly on Gray Television’s petition. Watch their exchange here.

Background:

• September 2014: Sen. Johnson pushed for and got a provision added to a video reform bill that created a process for Wisconsin broadcasters to petition the FCC to modify television markets in Wisconsin and allow satellite providers to carry in-state signals.
• December 2014: The video reform bill, the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization (STELAR), was signed into law.
• December 2015: Upon the conclusion of the FCC’s rulemaking to implement STELAR, Sen. Johnson wrote to the FCC calling on the agency to act on any Wisconsin station application seeking to provide in-state signals to Wisconsinites expeditiously.   
• March 2, 2016: Sen. Johnson got FCC Chairman Wheeler to commit to “expeditiously” moving on any filed petition by a Wisconsin broadcaster at a committee hearing.
• Sept. 7, 2016: Gray Television filed a petition with the FCC requesting a market modification to allow WSAW-TV to be carried  by satellite TV providers in Iron and Ashland counties – counties currently included in a Minnesota television market.
• Sept. 15, 2016: Sen. Johnson got FCC Chairman Wheeler to agree to act “as fast as humanly possible” on Gray Television’s petition.
• Sept. 16. 2016: One day after making this commitment to Sen. Johnson, the FCC put WSAW-TV’s petition out for public comment.  
• Sept. 27, 2016: Sen. Johnson filed a public comment with the FCC in support of Gray Television’s petition.
• Oct. 3, 2016: DirecTV sent a letter to Sen. Johnson in support of Gray Television’s petition, agreed to comply. 

According to the petition:

“As Senator Johnson noted in a letter to the FCC last year, the assignment of the Orphan Counties to a Minnesota-based DMA ends up shutting TV viewers in the Orphan Counties out of participation in Wisconsin civic life by depriving them of Wisconsin-focused news, weather, sports, and other informational programming. Indeed, assignment to the Duluth DMA means that viewers in the Orphan Counties are forced to watch Minnesota Vikings football games as ‘local' games. As Senator Johnson pointed out and as anyone who has ever been to Wisconsin knows, calling the Vikings the ‘local' team anywhere in Wisconsin causes a great deal of frustration and unhappiness.”