On the Hill
NCTA responded Mon to NAB ads on the DTV transition (Cfax, 7/11), saying the spot continues the group’s "long legacy of pointing fingers at others and looking for govt handouts to help compensate for its own failure to compete in the marketplace like everyone else." At a hearing today, NCTA chief Kyle McSlarrow is expected to brief the Sen Commerce Committee on cable’s objections to multicast must carry and an "either/or" dual carriage proposal being floated at the FCC. NAB’s Fast Eddie Fritts will present the broadcasters’ side. "While the cable industry has invested nearly $100bln to bring consumers into the digital TV and broadband era, broadcasters have spent hundreds of dollars taking out advertisements with plainly false allegations," an NCTA rep said. "It’s time the broadcasters tell Congress how they will move the digital transition forward and stop using these delay tactics." — C-SPAN3 will carry live coverage of today’s 2 DTV hearings (10am ET and 2:30pm).