RFD-TV Backs AT&T-Time Warner Deal

Rural lifestyle network RFD-TV said Thursday it supports AT&T's proposed merger with Time Warner.

RFD-TV founder Patrick Gottsch pointed to the pledge that AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson made back when it bought DirecTV to expand rural services, saying: "He has kept his word."

Related: Senate Judiciary Committee Slates Dec. 7 Hearing on AT&T-Time Warner Deal

“RFD-TV has not hesitated to oppose transactions involving multichannel video programming distributors when those transactions threatened to harm rural America or senior citizens," said Gottsch. " While some other MVPDs recently have turned their backs on rural America and senior citizens by actually removing popular programming, AT&T has not. Based on AT&T’s track record, RFD-TV firmly believes that the AT&T-Time Warner transaction will prove to be positive for rural America and senior citizens.

RFD-TV fans have been known to flood the FCC merger comment dockets concerned they might lose access to the channel.

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A year ago, fresh off of an expanded carriage agreement with Charter, RFD-TV become something of a cheerleader for that cable operator's proposed merger with Time Warner Cable and Bright House.

"RFD-TV will continue to lead efforts [to promote independent programming] and support the FCC’s actions to adopt much-needed regulations to ensure a level playing field for independent programmers as they seek reasonable distribution and carriage terms to provide vital programming for under-served populations that are being ignored by certain multimedia conglomerates," Gotsch said after announcing RFD-TV's support for AT&T's latest deal.

John Eggerton

Contributing editor John Eggerton has been an editor and/or writer on media regulation, legislation and policy for over four decades, including covering the FCC, FTC, Congress, the major media trade associations, and the federal courts. In addition to Multichannel News and Broadcasting + Cable, his work has appeared in Radio World, TV Technology, TV Fax, This Week in Consumer Electronics, Variety and the Encyclopedia Britannica.