§76.66. Satellite broadcast signal carriage. — Inbound Citations

(1) Any signal that was permitted (or, in the case of cable systems commencing operations after June 24, 1981, that would have been permitted) under the rules and regulations of the Federal Communications Commission in effect on June 24, 1981 (former 47 CFR 76.1 through 76.617 (1980)); or

(j) A satellite carrier is not required to delete the duplicating programming of any nationally distributed superstation that is carried by the satellite carrier as a local station pursuant to § 76.66 of this chapter or as a significantly viewed station pursuant to § 76.54 of this chapter

(1) Within the station's local market;

(2) If the station is “significantly viewed,” pursuant to § 76.54 of this chapter, in zip code areas included within the zone of protection unless a waiver of the significantly viewed exception is granted pursuant to § 76.7 of this chapter; or

(3) If the zone of protection falls, in whole or in part, within that signal's grade B contour or noise limited service contour.

(k) A satellite carrier is not required to delete the programming of any nationally distributed superstation that is carried by the satellite carrier as a local station pursuant to § 76.66 of this chapter or as a significantly viewed station pursuant to § 76.54 of this chapter:

(1) Within the station's local market;

(2) If the station is “significantly viewed,” pursuant to § 76.54 of this chapter, in zip code areas included within the zone of protection unless a waiver of the significantly viewed exception is granted pursuant to § 76.7 of this chapter; or

(3) If the zone of protection falls, in whole or in part, within that signal's grade B contour or noise limited service contour.

(i) Such subscriber receives local-into-local service pursuant to § 76.66; and

(6) Television broadcast stations that become eligible for mandatory carriage with respect to a satellite carrier (pursuant to § 76.66) due to a change in the market definition (by operation of a market modification pursuant to § 76.59) may, within 30 days of the effective date of the new definition, elect retransmission consent or mandatory carriage with respect to such carrier. A satellite carrier shall commence carriage within 90 days of receiving the carriage election from the television broadcast station. The election must be made in accordance with the requirements in paragraph (d)(1) of this section.

(a) In any case of cable systems serving communities where no portion of the community is covered by the predicted Grade B contour of at least one full service broadcast television station, or non-commercial educational television translator station operating with 5 or more watts output power and where the signals of no such broadcast stations are “significantly viewed” in the county where such a cable system is located, the cable system shall be exempt from the provisions of § 76.66. Cable systems may be eligible for this exemption where they demonstrate with engineering studies prepared in accordance with § 73.686 of this chapter or other showings that broadcast signals meeting the above criteria are not actually viewable within the community.

(f) A satellite carrier is exempt from the verification requirements of 47 U.S.C. 339(c)(4)(A) with respect to a test requested by a satellite subscriber to whom the retransmission of the signals of local broadcast stations is available under 47 U.S.C. 338 from such carrier. The definitions of satellite carrier, subscriber, and local market contained in 47 CFR 76.66(a) apply to this paragraph (f).

(B) In any local market in which a satellite carrier commences local-into-local service after December 8, 2004, at least 60 days prior to the commencement of service in that market, and thereafter at least 60 days prior to any date on which the station must thereafter make an election under § 76.66(c) or (d)(2), identify each affiliate of the same television network that the carrier reserves the right to retransmit into that station's local market during the next election cycle.

(i) Beginning with the election cycle described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section, the retransmission of significantly viewed signals pursuant to § 76.54 by a satellite carrier that provides local-into-local service is subject to providing the notifications to stations in the market pursuant to paragraphs (d)(5)(i)(A) and (B) of this section, unless the satellite carrier was retransmitting such signals as of the date these notifications were due. After July 31, 2020, the written notices required by this paragraph (d)(5)(i) shall be delivered to stations electronically in accordance with paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section.

(A) In any local market in which a satellite carrier provided local-into-local service on December 8, 2004, at least 60 days prior to any date on which a station must make an election under paragraph (c) of this section, identify each affiliate of the same television network that the carrier reserves the right to retransmit into that station's local market during the next election cycle and the communities into which the satellite carrier reserves the right to make such retransmissions;

(B) In any local market in which a satellite carrier commences local-into-local service after December 8, 2004, at least 60 days prior to the commencement of service in that market, and thereafter at least 60 days prior to any date on which the station must thereafter make an election under § 76.66(c) or (d)(2), identify each affiliate of the same television network that the carrier reserves the right to retransmit into that station's local market during the next election cycle.

(B) In any local market in which a satellite carrier commences local-into-local service after December 8, 2004, at least 60 days prior to the commencement of service in that market, and thereafter at least 60 days prior to any date on which the station must thereafter make an election under § 76.66(c) or (d)(2), identify each affiliate of the same television network that the carrier reserves the right to retransmit into that station's local market during the next election cycle.

(e) Satellite carriers that intend to retransmit the signal of a significantly viewed television broadcast station to a subscriber located outside such station's local market, as defined by § 76.55(e), must provide written notice to all television broadcast stations that are assigned to the same local market as the intended subscriber at least 60 days before commencing retransmission of the significantly viewed station. Such satellite carriers must also provide the notifications described in § 76.66(d)(5)(i). Except as provided in this paragraph (e), such written notice must be sent via certified mail, return receipt requested, to the address for such station(s) as listed in the consolidated database maintained by the Federal Communications Commission. After July 31, 2020, such written notice must be delivered to stations electronically in accordance with § 76.66(d)(2)(ii).

(e) Satellite carriers that intend to retransmit the signal of a significantly viewed television broadcast station to a subscriber located outside such station's local market, as defined by § 76.55(e), must provide written notice to all television broadcast stations that are assigned to the same local market as the intended subscriber at least 60 days before commencing retransmission of the significantly viewed station. Such satellite carriers must also provide the notifications described in § 76.66(d)(5)(i). Except as provided in this paragraph (e), such written notice must be sent via certified mail, return receipt requested, to the address for such station(s) as listed in the consolidated database maintained by the Federal Communications Commission. After July 31, 2020, such written notice must be delivered to stations electronically in accordance with § 76.66(d)(2)(ii).

(a) The Commission, following a written request from a broadcast station, cable system, satellite carrier or county government (only with respect to satellite modifications), may deem that the television market, as defined either by § 76.55(e) or § 76.66(e), of a particular commercial television broadcast station should include additional communities within its television market or exclude communities from such station's television market. In this respect, communities may be considered part of more than one television market.