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  • 5 hours ago
The Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago is putting customers on notice. Local cable providers are now directed to begin removing certain U.S. free-to-air channels if they fail to secure the required broadcasting rights.

More from Nicole M. Romany.
Transcript
00:00Compliance Officer 2 at the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, Shonda Moore,
00:06explains that while negotiations have been underway to secure permission for certain U.S. free-to-air channels,
00:13those efforts have not borne fruit.
00:16The channels affected include ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox.
00:22These are free-to-air stations, U.S. free-to-air stations,
00:25and when I say free-to-air, it means that the rights to broadcast these stations do not extend to Trinidad and Tobago.
00:32They are just licensed for broadcast in the U.S. and their company and jurisdictions.
00:37So there have been ongoing discussions over the last 10 years to have these rights extended to this country.
00:43However, we have not been as successful in acquiring these rights.
00:48Tad says thousands of viewers will be impacted as local cable providers begin the phased one-year removal of channels
00:56starting December 30, 2025, with some providers possibly removing channels earlier.
01:03Manager of Public Relations and Consumer Affairs Bobby Rogers explains that the stations will be removed
01:10from the least-watched to the most-watched to give customers time to adjust.
01:16However, she stresses that the authority has no choice but to enforce the removals
01:21to protect intellectual property rights and safeguard international relations, including trade obligations.
01:29The realms of those repercussions don't fall in broadcasting only.
01:33It's one domino falling on another and another.
01:36They are far-reaching ramifications.
01:37Because we sign on to treaties, there are implications for bilateral agreements.
01:43Because of trade, that can also be affected.
01:46So we do not want to put this country in any far-reaching ramifications.
01:50So we have to do what we have to do and become compliant.
01:53Tad warns appropriate action will be taken under the Telecommunications Act, Chapter 4731,
02:01against any provider that fails to comply.
02:04Mikul M. Romani, TV6 News.
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