2003 SESSION

03-0354

03/01

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 5

ANALYSIS

This concurrent resolution urges Congress to permit satellite television subscribers to select in-state broadcast signals.

03-0354

03/01

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

Whereas, by enacting the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of 1999 ("SHVIA"), Congress greatly expanded the ability of satellite companies to provide local broadcast signals to their subscribers; and

Whereas, SHVIA generally limited the broadcast signals available to satellite subscribers to those signals originating within the same "designated market area" (DMA), as determined by Nielsen Media Research; and

Whereas, Nielsen Media Research has placed WMUR-TV in the Boston/Manchester DMA; and

Whereas, Nielsen Media Research has placed many New Hampshire communities in the Portland/Auburn DMA; and

Whereas, many New Hampshire satellite subscribers consequently are unable to receive WMUR-TV through their satellite service provider; and

Whereas, many of these satellite subscribers reside in communities that are not served by any cable television service provider; and

Whereas, many of these satellite subscribers reside in areas that are beyond the range of the broadcast signal of WMUR-TV; and

Whereas, there are therefore many citizens of New Hampshire that are precluded from accessing the WMUR-TV signal in their homes; and

Whereas, WMUR-TV may broadcast emergency messages or disaster information relevant to New Hampshire residents that are not broadcast by stations originating in the Portland/Auburn DMA; and

Whereas, WMUR-TV provides news coverage and political candidate debates that are relevant to citizens throughout the state of New Hampshire and that are not carried by stations originating in the Portland/Auburn DMA; and

Whereas, SHVIA therefore promotes depriving citizens in certain regions of New Hampshire of relevant civic and political information; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the general court of New Hampshire hereby urges the United States Congress to amend the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of 1999 so that satellite subscribers may elect to receive broadcast signals originating in another designated market area including their state of residence if those subscribers have been assigned to a designated market area which includes only broadcasters in other states; and

That copies of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States, to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to each member of the New Hampshire congressional delegation, and to the chairman and each of the members of the Federal Communications Commission.