Must-carry

FCC Releases NPRM Seeking Comment on Proposal to Require Subscriber Rebates for Retransmission Consent Blackouts

By Daniel Brown|2024-01-24T10:00:32-06:00January 24th, 2024|Legal News|

On January 17, 2024, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) seeking comment on a newly proposed requirement for cable operators and direct broadcast satellite (“DBS”) providers, which, if enacted, would require those cable operators and DBS providers to make available rebates to their subscribers for programming blackouts caused by failed retransmission consent...… Continue Reading

FCC Releases NPRM Proposing New Reporting Requirements for Retransmission Consent Blackouts

By Daniel Brown|2024-01-03T13:30:40-06:00January 3rd, 2024|Legal News|

On December 21, 2023, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) proposing new reporting requirements for multichannel video programming distributors (“MVPDs”). The amendments to the FCC’s rules, if enacted, would give MVPDs 48 hours to notify the FCC when a blackout of 24 hours or more of a broadcast television station, or stations,...… Continue Reading

TV Station Licensees: Don’t Forget the October 1st Deadline for Uploading Election of Cable TV/Satellite Status

By Paul J. Feldman|2023-07-06T09:57:05-05:00July 6th, 2023|Legal News|

While it’s only July, TV station licensees should be mindful of an October 1st deadline for uploading to their station online public information file (“OPIF”), the station’s election of cable TV/satellite must-carry or retransmission consent status. Under the FCC’s rules, for full power and certain Class A/Low Power commercial TV stations, there is a three-year...… Continue Reading

This Week in Regulation for Broadcasters – December 11, 2021 to December 17, 2021

By David Oxenford|2021-12-18T23:00:29-06:00December 18th, 2021|Legal News|

Here are some of the regulatory developments of significance to broadcasters from the last week, with links to where you can go to find more information as to how these actions may affect your operations. Music licensing organization Global Music Rights (GMR) has agreed to a three-month extension of its current interim licensing agreement. GMR... Continue Reading…

July 31, 2020 Marks First Deadline Under FCC’s New Must-Carry Election Regime

By Lee G. Petro and Lauren Lynch Flick|2020-05-11T13:25:28-05:00May 11th, 2020|Legal News|

With much of the United States under COVID-19 stay-at-home directives, and frost warnings still in the forecast, it’s as good a time as any to review the upcoming cable and satellite carriage election process for television broadcasters. The FCC recently completed an overhaul of its rules governing how eligible television broadcasters provide notice of their […]

Save the Date for Our FREE Must-Carry/Retransmission Consent Webinar

By FHH Law|2017-07-25T14:12:00-05:00July 25th, 2017|Legal News|

Tuesday, August 22, 2017 – 2:00-3:15 p.m. (EDT) For all full power TV stations, October 1, 2017 is a critical deadline for electing between must-carry and retransmission consent for the next three years. What should you consider before electing must-carry or retransmission consent? What has changed in the three years since elections were last made?...… Continue Reading

The Retransmission Consent NPRM: An Overview as the Comment Deadline Approaches

By Dan Kirkpatrick|2015-10-21T21:01:37-05:00October 21st, 2015|Legal News|

Here’s your chance to let the FCC know how to assess the “good faith” of parties to a retrans negotiation. While many (if not most) television licensees are likely trying to sift through the several hundreds of pages of FCC materials laying out the fast-approaching incentive auction process, it’s important not to lose sight of … Continue Reading

Update: Effective Date Set for STELAR-mandated Rule Changes

By FHH Law|2015-03-03T02:28:10-06:00March 3rd, 2015|Legal News|

Last month we reported on an FCC order implementing several rule changes dictated by Congress in the STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014. Those changes include the ban on joint negotiation for retransmission consent agreements by any two same-market TV s...

STELAR Aftermath: Ban on Joint Retrans Negotiations, Other Rules Revised

By Dan Kirkpatrick|2015-02-18T19:38:15-06:00February 18th, 2015|Legal News|

At Congress’s direction, FCC narrows, considerably, the ability of same-market stations to negotiate retransmission consent deals jointly. Back in November (as we reported), Congress passed the STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014 (a/k/a STELAR). A...