The 'Go Pack Go Act' Lets Rural Viewers Choose Their Local Channels—But It Bypasses Key Regulations

The “Go Pack Go Act of 2025” is all about giving TV subscribers in specific, designated areas—which the bill calls “covered counties”—a choice about which local network channels they receive. Specifically, if you live in one of these counties, you can now tell your cable or satellite provider that you want the signal from a network station that is in your state but is technically outside your immediate local market. This is a big deal if the local station you currently get doesn't carry the news or sports team coverage you actually care about.

The Remote Control Revolution

Right now, federal rules dictate which local channels your cable or satellite company must deliver to you based on your geographic location (your “Local Market”). This bill, however, creates an official opt-out. If you are in a covered county, you can choose to receive the standard local signal, the adjacent-market, in-state signal, or even both if your provider offers it (Sec. 2). Think of it as finally being able to tune into the station that covers the state capital news or the regional weather forecast that actually matters to your town, even if the FCC map says you should be watching a different city’s station.

For example, the bill specifically names counties in Wisconsin like Douglas, Polk, and St. Croix as “covered counties” for specific distant signals (Sec. 3). For a subscriber in one of those areas, this means they might be able to swap out a local station that’s technically closer but less relevant for a station that’s geographically farther but more culturally or regionally relevant within the state.

The Regulatory Shortcut

While this sounds like a win for viewer choice, the bill achieves this by creating some significant regulatory workarounds for the carriers. When a cable operator provides you with this alternative, adjacent-market signal, they are exempt from having to get the usual retransmission consent from the network station (Sec. 2). Retransmission consent is typically a negotiation where the local station authorizes the cable company to carry its signal. By waiving this requirement, the bill streamlines the process for carriers but essentially cuts out the local network station from having a say in how its signal is distributed in that specific area.

Furthermore, for satellite carriers, the ability to offer this alternative signal is conditional: the Commission (the FCC) must first determine that it is “technically feasible” (Sec. 2). This introduces a layer of regulatory uncertainty. If the FCC decides the technology isn't there, subscribers won't get the choice, regardless of what the bill promises. The bill also makes it easier for satellite carriers to distribute these signals by exempting them from counting against the limits on how many “distant” signals they can carry under copyright law (Sec. 3).

Who Pays and Who Benefits?

This legislation primarily benefits subscribers in these covered counties who feel underserved by their current local media market, giving them a choice they didn't have before. It also benefits cable and satellite carriers by lowering the regulatory hurdle required to offer this new signal, saving them time and negotiation costs (Sec. 2).

The groups that might feel the squeeze are the existing local network stations. If a significant number of subscribers in their market switch to the adjacent-market signal, those local stations could lose viewership and, potentially, the advertising revenue tied to those viewers. The adjacent-market station, on the other hand, gains a new, expanded audience without having to go through the usual consent process. In short, the bill gives viewers more options, but it does so by changing who has power in the carriage negotiations and potentially weakening the gatekeeping role of the truly local stations.