A bill from State Representative Jim Struzzi that would level the playing field for local broadcasters concerning high school sports was introduced on Wednesday in the state house.
House Bill 2074, known as the Fair Play Broadcasting Act, will protect local broadcasters and prevent them from being shut out of providing video streams of high school athletics. The bill came about as some high schools in Pennsylvania signed video streaming contracts with out-of-state companies to show sports on online outlets during the pandemic. But many schools did not realize that those agreements gave the out-of-state companies exclusivity for the broadcasts and prevented local broadcasters from visiting schools from streaming their team’s games unless they paid high fees. The bill is similar to legislation making its way through the Oklahoma state house and senate.
In his statement, Struzzi said that local stations have been covering teams or leagues longer than these newer streaming companies, and the local stations deserve equal access to the broadcast opportunities.
Renda Media and Digital’s Vice President and General Manager Mark Bertig had high praise for Struzzi and his staff for getting the bill to the State House. You can hear his complete statement by clicking below.
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