Washington, D.C. – During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing today, U.S. Senator Russ Feingold questioned broadcast and cable television executives about residents of Northwest Wisconsin only being able to receive news and sports coverage from neighboring Minnesota.  Currently, several Wisconsin counties in the northwestern corner of the state are only able to receive Minnesota-based television broadcasts.  Constituents attending Feingold’s listening sessions regularly express frustration over their inability to receive Wisconsin news, Green Bay Packers games, or other Wisconsin-related coverage because they fall within Minnesota media markets.  

“When I travel to the counties in Northwestern Wisconsin every year to hold a town hall meeting, folks want to know why they are only able to receive news about Minnesota government and sports,” Feingold said.  “Most of my constituents only want to watch the Vikings when they lose to the Packers and they are frustrated that an arbitrary line on a map prevents them from seeing their favorite team.  We need to look for ways to ensure that people living in Wisconsin are able to watch the news, sports and other programming that affects them.”

Television markets are determined by the Nielsen Designated Market Area (NDMA).  Several Wisconsin counties including Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Douglas, Dunn, Iron, Pierce, Polk, Sawyer, St. Croix and Washburn, receive only Minneapolis, MN or Duluth, MN television stations because that is their NDMA.  Wisconsinites in these counties are thereby only able to watch those stations, which may not, for example, carry a Green Bay Packers game if the Minnesota Vikings are playing at the same time.  Feingold supports changes to the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act (SHVERA) when it comes up for reauthorization, or other legislative fixes to help allow people in those affected Wisconsin counties to receive Wisconsin-based coverage from other markets via satellite and/or cable.  

Audio of Senator Feingold’s remarks during the hearing are available at http://feingold.senate.gov/audio/feingold_022509_dtv.mp3.