PBS continues "full steam ahead." - Public Broadcasting Service

Television Digest with Consumer Electronics, Jan 12, 1998

PBS continues "full steam ahead" on plans to launch multiple DBS feeds to served areas, Exec.-Vp-COO Robert Ottenhoff told us, although launch date now is midyear 1998. PBS in Oct. said services would be up by year-end (TVD Oct 27 p6). Cops-right clearances remain issue, and PBS failed in efforts in last session of Congress to establish clearinghouse where it could pay flat rate to carry programming.

Without legislative change, PBS must negotiate air rights with myriad of PTV producers. Revisions in copyright law would be helpful, "especially with prime-time programs," Ottenhoff, acknowledged, but PBS isn't willing to wait for change in law before launch of new DBS channels.