Subscribers of Verizon's fiber-optic FiOS TV service will now have an option of high-definition public television.
Verizon signed an agreement with The Association of Public Television Stations and Public Broadcast Service to carry local public television stations' digital programming.
"This is a wonderful example of the diverse digital programming content Verizon can provide through the power of fiber-optics," said Kathryn C. Brown, Verizon senior vice president for public policy development and corporate responsibility. "Verizon is excited to add this programming, as well as public television's new offerings available through its digital multicasts, to FiOS TV subscribers in all our markets. When Congress enacts television choice legislation this year, we hope to make quality content like this available more quickly to consumers."
Under the multi-year agreement, "every FiOS TV system will carry the full digital signal of up to three public television stations within the system's service area, as well as any additional noncommercial station that does not duplicate programming of another station in the market."
This includes PBS and local public television stations' HDTV programming and local stations' digital multicasts.
"This agreement is a major step forward for public service media in our country," added APTS President and Chief Executive Officer John Lawson. "It is the culmination of hard work by APTS, PBS and Verizon to ensure that public television's content is available to consumers who choose to receive their television programming from Verizon."
"At a time when some in Congress question the important contribution that public television stations make to the communities they serve, Verizon's commitment to public television and to delivering high-quality programming to its growing television-customer base is significant," he added. "The agreement also recognizes the unique role that public broadcasters play in national homeland defense efforts and provides for carriage of emergency public safety information."
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
Related stories:
Study probes impact of CSI-style programming on jurors
(PhysOrg.com) -- A new psychological study from the University of Leicester aims to investigate how accurate people's perceptions about forensic science are, where these beliefs come from, and how this forensic awareness may impact on jury decision making.
Powerful donor motivators for fundraising
People are more likely to donate to pledge drive appeals when fundraisers tap into peoples' desire to help others, according to a new study in the
Journal of Consumer Research. Donors are also more likely to respond to appeals that involve negative emotions than pitches about benefits to the donor.
Child obesity seen as fueled by Spanish language tv ads
Spanish-language television is bombarding children with so many fast-food commercials that it may be fueling the rising obesity epidemic among Latino youth, according to research led by pediatricians from the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. Latino children, who make up one-fifth of the U.S. child population, also have the highest obesity and overweight rates of all ethnic groups.
Cross ownership has positive effect on local media coverage, researcher finds
The recent decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to loosen restrictions on cross ownership of newspapers and broadcast television stations in the same market has met with criticism from consumer advocates and members of Congress that a cross ownership would diminish the quality of local news coverage.
Most children younger than 2 years watch TV despite warnings
Approximately 40 percent of three-month old children and about 90 percent of children age 24 months and under regularly watch television, DVDs or videos, according to a report in the May issue of
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
In Brief: FCC drops 'must-carry' agenda item
Proposed rules covering "must-carry" multicasts were pulled from this week's Federal Communications Commission agenda.
Cable 'a la carte' gets boost
Consumers may find a happier ground with their cable companies now that the recent cable "a la carte" pricing report from the FCC favored allowing cable subscribers to purchase channels of their choosing.
Net neutrality and the regulation debate
Public-interest groups like Common Cause and the Consumer Federation of America want it; Internet service providers such as BellSouth, Verizon and AT&T, don't. Large internet companies, led by Google, are lobbying Congress and the Federal Communications Commission for some form of it.