The American Television Alliance, which is another name for "cable operators and others for retrans reform," has taken its campaign to the pages of print publications targeting Washington decision-makers and a national audience.
The ads are all scheduled to run this week in 10 publications, including Roll Call and Communications Daily.
A source said the that the six-figure ad buy was in part meant to provide a parting reminder to legislators about the issue as they head out the door at the end of the week to try to get re-elected.
The alliance was formed by a "strange bedfellows" mix of companies and organizations including Cablevision, Verizon, Dish Network, AT&T U-verse, the American Cable Association, Public Knowledge, the Parents Television Council and Starz, as well as about two dozen others.
Theirs is a two-front effort to try and get Congress to legislate change, or the FCC to act on a petition--filed by many of the alliance members--to institute "reforms" including standstill agreements and outside arbitration.
Independent producers (ATVA members and others) including representatives of Outdoor Channel, Retirement Living TV and Gospel Music Channel, flew into D.C. last week to pitch the FCC and Hill on retrans reform.
