I’m sorry, but I just can’t follow the arguments in this piece. How would “deregulation” threaten televangelists? I would think the opposite - that new REGULATIONS might threaten them.
I think the regulations that the congressman wants to eliminate require cable companies to provide a medium for programs that are not commercially viable because nobody wants to watch them. These include tele-evangelists who cannot drum up enough viewership to succeed without the government forcing the cable companies to carry them.
Take a look at this piece:
... But local broadcasters say they provide a public good, and therefore providers should be barred from dropping them...
The broadcasters AKA network news affiliates (NBC CBS ABC) don't won't to be dropped from cable (because of low ratings) That's what this is *really* all about.
Must-carry rules require cable/satellite operators to carry local tv stations, some of which are religious stations. That is what this refers to.
Well it sounded to me like it’s not just televangelists that are threatened. It’s all local programming. Local news, local programs, anything local.
If cable companies don’t have to carry local channels, then the question is are local channels viable any more? Are we all going to go buy rooftop antennas and switch between antennas and cable. And even if we did, would we really watch enough local channels given the inconvenience for them to remain viable.
Well it sounded to me like it’s not just televangelists that are threatened. It’s all local programming. Local news, local programs, anything local.
If cable companies don’t have to carry local channels, then the question is are local channels viable any more? Are we all going to go buy rooftop antennas and switch between antennas and cable. And even if we did, would we really watch enough local channels given the inconvenience for them to remain viable.