Collins Meets with County Officials on Orphan Counties Progress

9th District U.S. Congressman Doug Collins has announced the formation of a Caucus designed to change how the FCC deals with orphan counties.

Last week, Collins met with officials from Elbert, Hart, Franklin, and Stephens Counties to discuss the lack of local television programming by satellite TV providers available to residents of these counties.

According to the FCC, because those counties are closer to Greenville, SC than Atlanta, GA they are in the Greenville broadcast area and can only receive Greenville stations.

Collins said the issue comes down to an issue of public safety, such as being able to receive severe weather warnings.  He said Georgia residents need Georgia channels.

“Like many rural areas, the Ninth District of Georgia has counties bordering another state that are in that state’s media market, and therefore unable to access local programming,” Collins said. “This means that residents of those areas miss out on local weather, news, events, and public discourse. It comes down to an issue of public safety – for example, severe weather warnings. During these times, programming from way up in South Carolina doesn’t do our folks much good. Georgia residents need Georgia channels.”

Collins also announced the formation of the Congressional Orphan Counties Caucus, which he said will bring together Members of Congress who face similar challenges in their home districts and provide a forum to educate Members who are not aware of this issue.

“This problem unfortunately is not unique to Georgia, which is why I am establishing the Congressional Orphan Counties Caucus to bring together Members of Congress who also have this issue in their districts, so we can look at solutions. We hope to bring more attention to this problem as a group, and better serve our constituents,” he said.

The meeting in Carnesville last Thursday also focused on a new process of petitioning the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a ‘Change of Market’, something Congressman Collins has pushed to be made into law since he was elected to office in 2012.

“The antiquated Designated Marketing Area (DMA) system has failed Northeast Georgians. I’m proud of the progress my colleagues and I have made to finally give local governments a say in their broadcasting market. But it’s one solution, not the only solution,” Collins said.

Additionally, there was a discussion on what can be done at the federal level to ensure residents of these counties have access to local news, weather, and other information pertinent to where they live.

However he says Elbert, Hart, Franklin, and Stephens Counties must continue to prepare their market modification petition, but he will continue to work alongside them to make the strongest case possible for their petition.
“But I want the FCC to know, without a doubt, that if they fail to grant these petitions, the fight isn’t over. I look forward to working with county officials to move this along as quickly as possible,” Collins concluded.