In addition to the broadcast signals that subscribers may receive under section 1 338 and 339 of this title, a satellite carrier is also authorized to retransmit to a subscriber located in a community the signal of any station located outside the local market in which such subscriber is located, to the extent such signal-
This section shall apply only to retransmissions to subscribers of a satellite carrier who receive retransmissions of a signal from that satellite carrier pursuant to section 338 of this title.
A satellite carrier may retransmit to a subscriber in high definition format the signal of a station determined by the Commission to be significantly viewed under subsection (a) only if such carrier also retransmits in high definition format the signal of a station located in the local market of such subscriber and affiliated with the same network whenever such format is available from such station.
The limitations in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not prohibit a retransmission under this section to a subscriber located in a local market in which there are no network stations affiliated with the same television network as the station whose signal is being retransmitted pursuant to this section.
Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not prohibit a retransmission of a network station to a subscriber if and to the extent that the network station in the local market in which the subscriber is located, and that is affiliated with the same television network, has privately negotiated and affirmatively granted a waiver from the requirements of paragraph 2 (1) and (2) to such satellite carrier with respect to retransmission of the significantly viewed station to such subscriber.
The Commission shall-
The Commission shall make readily available to the public in electronic form, on the Internet website of the Commission or other comparable facility, a list of the stations that are eligible for retransmission under subsection (a) and the communities in which such stations are eligible for such retransmission. The Commission shall update such list within 10 business days after the date on which the Commission issues an order making any modification of such stations and communities.
In addition to cable operators and television broadcast station licensees, the Commission shall permit a satellite carrier to petition for decisions and orders-
Carriage of a signal under this section is not mandatory, and any right of a station licensee to have the signal of such station carried under section 338 of this title is not affected by the eligibility of such station to be carried under this section.
The eligibility of the signal of a station to be carried under this section does not affect any right of the licensee of such station to grant (or withhold) retransmission consent under section 325(b)(1) of this title.
Signals eligible to be carried under this section are not subject to the Commission's regulations concerning network nonduplication or syndicated exclusivity unless, pursuant to regulations adopted by the Commission, the Commission determines to permit network nonduplication or syndicated exclusivity to apply within the appropriate zone of protection.
Nothing in this subsection or Commission regulations shall permit the application of network nonduplication or syndicated exclusivity regulations to the retransmission of distant signals of network stations that are carried by a satellite carrier pursuant to a statutory license under section 119(a)(2)(A) or (B) of title 17, with respect to persons who reside in unserved households, under 3 119(a)(4)(A),4 or under section 119(a)(12),4 of such title.
Upon complaint, the Commission shall issue a cease and desist order to any satellite carrier found to have violated this section in carrying any television broadcast station. Such order may, if a complaining station requests damages-
The Commission shall issue a final determination resolving a complaint brought under this subsection not later than 180 days after the submission of a complaint under this subsection. The Commission may hear witnesses if it clearly appears, based on written filings by the parties, that there is a genuine dispute about material facts. Except as provided in the preceding sentence, the Commission may issue a final ruling based on written filings by the parties.
The remedies under this subsection are in addition to any remedies available under title 17.
Any determination, action, or failure to act of the Commission under this subsection shall have no effect on any proceeding under title 17 and shall not be introduced in evidence in any proceeding under that title. In no instance shall a Commission enforcement proceeding under this subsection be required as a predicate to the pursuit of a remedy available under title 17.
Each satellite carrier that proposes to commence the retransmission of a station pursuant to this section in any local market shall-
The Commission shall, no later than October 30, 2005, revise section 76.66 of its regulations (47 CFR 76.66), concerning satellite broadcast signal carriage, to permit (at the next cycle of elections under section 325 of this title) a television broadcast station that is located in a local market into which a satellite carrier retransmits a television broadcast station pursuant to section 338 of this title, to elect, with respect to such satellite carrier, between retransmission consent pursuant to such section 325 of this title and mandatory carriage pursuant to section 338 of this title separately for each county within such station's local market, if-
In revising its regulations as required by paragraph (1), the Commission shall provide that any such station shall conduct a unified negotiation for the entire portion of its local market for which retransmission consent is elected.
The Commission shall, no later than October 30, 2005, revise its regulations to provide the following:
A satellite carrier's retransmission of television broadcast stations pursuant to this section shall be subject to the following limitations:
If a satellite carrier notifies a television broadcast station that it reserves the right to retransmit an affiliate of the same television network during the next election cycle pursuant to this section, the station may choose between retransmission consent and mandatory carriage for any portion of the 3-year election cycle that is not covered by an existing retransmission consent agreement.
As used in this section:
The terms "local market", "satellite carrier", "subscriber", and "television broadcast station" have the meanings given such terms in section 338(k) of this title.
The terms "network station" and "television network" have the meanings given such terms in section 339(d) of this title.
The term "community" means-
1 So in original. Probably should be "sections".
2 So in original. Probably should be "paragraphs".
3 So in original. Probably should be followed by "section".
4 See References in Text note below.
47 U.S.C. § 340
EDITORIAL NOTES
REFERENCES IN TEXTSection 119(a)(4)(A) and section 119(a)(12) of title 17, referred to in subsec. (e)(2), were redesignated as sections 119(a)(3)(A) and 119(a)(11) of title 17, respectively, by Pub. L. 111-175, title I, §102(h)(1)(B), May 27, 2010, 124 Stat. 1224. Section 119(a)(3) of title 17 was repealed and section 119(a)(4) was redesignated as section 119(a)(3) by Pub. L. 116-94, div. P, title XI, §1102(a)(1)(B), (C), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3202. Section 119(a)(11) of title 17 was redesignated as section 119(a)(8) by Pub. L. 116-94, div. P, title XI, §1102(a)(1)(C), Dec. 20, 2019, 133 Stat. 3202.
AMENDMENTS2010-Subsec. (b)(1), (2). Pub. L. 111-175, §203(a), amended pars. (1) and (2) generally. Prior to amendment, pars. (1) and (2) related to limitations for certain analog and digital services, respectively.Subsec. (i)(4). Pub. L. 111-175, §204(c), struck out par. (4). Text read as follows: "The terms 'equivalent bandwidth' and 'entire bandwidth' shall be defined by the Commission by regulation, except that this paragraph shall not be construed-"(A) to prevent a satellite operator from using compression technology;"(B) to require a satellite operator to use the identical bandwidth or bit rate as the local or distant broadcaster whose signal it is retransmitting;"(C) to require a satellite operator to use the identical bandwidth or bit rate for a local network station as it does for a distant network station;"(D) to affect a satellite operator's obligations under subsection (a)(1) of this section; or"(E) to affect the definitions of 'program related' and 'primary video'."
STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES
EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2010 AMENDMENTAmendment by Pub. L. 111-175 effective Feb. 27, 2010, see section 307(a) of Pub. L. 111-175 set out as a note under section 111 of Title 17, Copyrights.
RULEMAKING REQUIRED Pub. L. 111-175, title II, §203(b), May 27, 2010, 124 Stat. 1245, provided that: "Within 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act [deemed to refer to Feb. 27, 2010, see section 307(a) of Pub. L. 111-175 set out as an Effective Date of 2010 Amendment note under section 111 of Title 17, Copyrights], the Federal Communications Commission shall take all actions necessary to promulgate a rule to implement the amendments made by subsection (a) [amending this section]."