MUMBAI: The Federal Communications Commission has allowed to let lapse the ‘viewability rule‘ that requires cable operators to carry a local television station on both its digital and analog platforms.

With the sunsetting of this rule, viewers with analogue TV sets will require a set-top box to continue receiving local feeds as operators will no longer have to carry stations on analog platform.

The move would impact 12 million cable subscribers across the country who would lose access to some of their local TV stations.

Justifying its decision, the FCC said many cable operators are providing equipments at little or no cost to subscribers which would allow them to switch over to digital cable without much financial burden.

However, the FCC‘s "viewability requirement‘ is likely to have an adverse impact on smaller stations many of whom cater to small ethnic and religious groups, according to National Association of Broadcasters, the trade association of broadcasters in US.

The FCC had in 2007 set the expiration of transition to high-definition for cable operators at December 2012.

The cable industry has welcomed the move saying operators will take steps to ensure a smooth migration.

"With the majority of all households now enjoying digital services, the cable industry will maximise its bandwidth to provide innovative services that connect consumers to things they care about most. ," said Michael Powell, CEO of the National Cable and Telecommunications Association. "And while some customers have yet to make the transition to digital, cable providers will continue to work hard to make that conversion as smooth as possible."