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CONGRESS PASSES WYDEN-SMITH PROVISION TO HELP PROVIDE EASTERN
OREGON RESIDENTS WITH ACCESS TO OREGON TELEVISION CHANNELS
Senators’ legislation will remove
barriers that can prevent cable and satellite providers
from transmitting in-state stations to customers
November 21, 2004
Washington, DC – U.S.
Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) today announced
that the fiscal year 2005 omnibus appropriations bill approved
by Congress includes a Wyden-Smith provision to remove the legal
obstacles that can prevent people in four rural Oregon counties
from receiving TV channels from their own home state. Currently,
“local stations” serving Grant, Wallowa, Umatilla
and Malheur counties can mean stations from across the state border.
Additionally, legal restrictions can block cable and satellite
providers from offering these subscribers in-state channels in
addition to the out-of-state channels that they already receive.
The Wyden-Smith legislation would authorize providers to give
these customers access to at least two Oregon television channels.
“Folks in Eastern Oregon
deserve access to channels from the state they live in,”
said Wyden. “This is a good first step in removing the barriers
to allow cable and satellite providers to extend additional choices
to rural Oregon residents.”
“When people turn on their
TV’s, they should to be able to access news and information
that pertains to the state they live in,” said Smith. “This
provision will help ensure that east Oregonians will be able to
receive the channels that provide them with the programming appropriate
to where they live.”
The legislation containing the
Wyden-Smith provision is expected to move to the White House shortly
for signature into law.
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