---
kind: "section"
citation: "47 U.S.C. § 536"
title: "47"
title_heading: "Telecommunications"
number: "536"
heading: "Regulation of carriage agreements"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/47/536"
units:
  - "Chapter 5 — Wire or Radio Communication"
  - "Subchapter V–A — Cable Communications"
  - "Part II — Use of Cable Channels and Cable Ownership Restrictions"
---

# §536. Regulation of carriage agreements

- (a) **Regulations—** Within one year after October 5, 1992, the Commission shall establish regulations governing program carriage agreements and related practices between [cable operators](/usc/47/522.md?p=5) or other [multichannel video programming distributors](/usc/47/522.md?p=13) and [video programming](/usc/47/522.md?p=20) vendors. Such regulations shall—
  - (1) include provisions designed to prevent a [cable operator](/usc/47/522.md?p=5) or other [multichannel video programming distributor](/usc/47/522.md?p=13) from requiring a financial interest in a program service as a condition for carriage on one or more of such [operator](/usc/47/153.md?p=38-A)’s systems;
  - (2) include provisions designed to prohibit a [cable operator](/usc/47/522.md?p=5) or other [multichannel video programming distributor](/usc/47/522.md?p=13) from coercing a [video programming](/usc/47/522.md?p=20) vendor to provide, and from retaliating against such a vendor for failing to provide, exclusive rights against other [multichannel video programming distributors](/usc/47/522.md?p=13) as a condition of carriage on a system;
  - (3) contain provisions designed to prevent a [multichannel video programming distributor](/usc/47/522.md?p=13) from engaging in conduct the effect of which is to unreasonably restrain the ability of an unaffiliated [video programming](/usc/47/522.md?p=20) vendor to compete fairly by discriminating in [video programming](/usc/47/522.md?p=20) distribution on the basis of affiliation or nonaffiliation of vendors in the selection, terms, or conditions for carriage of [video programming](/usc/47/522.md?p=20) provided by such vendors;
  - (4) provide for expedited review of any complaints made by a [video programming](/usc/47/522.md?p=20) vendor pursuant to this section;
  - (5) provide for appropriate penalties and remedies for violations of this subsection, including carriage; and
  - (6) provide penalties to be assessed against any [person](/usc/47/522.md?p=15) filing a frivolous complaint pursuant to this section.
- (b) **“Video programming vendor” defined—** As used in this section, the term “[video programming](/usc/47/522.md?p=20) vendor” means a [person](/usc/47/522.md?p=15) engaged in the production, creation, or wholesale distribution of [video programming](/usc/47/522.md?p=20) for sale.

## Source credit

(June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title VI, § 616, as added Pub. L. 102–385, § 12, Oct. 5, 1992, 106 Stat. 1488.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective 60 days after Oct. 5, 1992, see section 28 of Pub. L. 102–385, set out as an Effective Date of 1992 Amendment note under section 325 of this title.