The FCC has lined up its panels for an April 25 workshop on the state of the video marketplace and it includes some familiar small cable operator and programmer names including Chris Kyle from Shentel and Patrick Gottsch from RFD-TV.
It is the second workshop in conjunction with the February launch of a Notice of Inquiry into independent programmer access to distribution outlets. Such inquiries can either be a shot across the bow or a prelude to commission action.
FCC Commissioner Mignon Clyburn, who called for the inquiry, will open the workshop, which will consist of two panels. The first is Challenges Faced By Smaller Multichannel Video Programming Distributors that Affect Carriage of Independent Programming. The second is Challenges Faced by Independent Programmers Seeking Carriage on Video Distribution Platforms.
The first panel will feature Chris Kyle from Shentel, Heather McCallion from Atlantic Broadband; Judy Meyka from the National Cable Television Cooperative; Duke Milunovich from Vocano Vision, and Jimmy Todd from Nex-Tech.
The second panel will comprise Eric Easter from BLQBOX Digital; Michael Fletcher from Ride Television Network; Clifford Franklin from GFN-TV; Patrick Gottsch from RFD-TV, Brian Newton from The Africa Channel, and Daphna Ziman from Cinemoi.
