[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 75 (Monday, May 24, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5883-S5886]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 SATELLITE HOME VIEWERS IMPROVEMENT ACT

  On May 20, 1999, the Senate amended and passed H.R. 1554, the 
Satellite Home Viewers Improvement Act, as follows:

       Resolved, That the bill from the House of Representatives 
     (H.R. 1554) entitled ``An Act to amend the provisions of 
     title 17, United States Code, and the Communications Act of 
     1934, relating to copyright licensing and carriage of 
     broadcast signals by satellite.'', do pass with the following 
     amendment:
       Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

            TITLE I--SATELLITE HOME VIEWERS IMPROVEMENTS ACT

     SEC. 101. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Satellite Home Viewers 
     Improvements Act''.

     SEC. 102. LIMITATIONS ON EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS; SECONDARY 
                   TRANSMISSIONS BY SATELLITE CARRIERS WITHIN 
                   LOCAL MARKETS.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 17, United States Code, 
     is amended by adding after section 121 the following new 
     section:

     ``Sec. 122. Limitations on exclusive rights; secondary 
       transmissions by satellite carriers within local markets

       ``(a) Secondary Transmissions of Television Broadcast 
     Stations by Satellite Carriers.--A secondary transmission of 
     a primary transmission of a television broadcast station into 
     the station's local market shall be subject to statutory 
     licensing under this section if--
       ``(1) the secondary transmission is made by a satellite 
     carrier to the public;
       ``(2) the secondary transmission is permissible under the 
     rules, regulations, or authorizations of the Federal 
     Communications Commission; and
       ``(3) the satellite carrier makes a direct or indirect 
     charge for the secondary transmission to--
       ``(A) each subscriber receiving the secondary transmission; 
     or
       ``(B) a distributor that has contracted with the satellite 
     carrier for direct or indirect delivery of the secondary 
     transmission to the public.
       ``(b) Reporting Requirements.--
       ``(1) Initial lists.--A satellite carrier that makes 
     secondary transmissions of a primary transmission made by a 
     network station under subsection (a) shall, within 90 days 
     after commencing such secondary transmissions, submit to the 
     network that owns or is affiliated with the network station a 
     list identifying (by name and street address, including 
     county and zip code) all subscribers to which the satellite 
     carrier currently makes secondary transmissions of that 
     primary transmission.

[[Page S5884]]

       ``(2) Subsequent lists.--After the list is submitted under 
     paragraph (1), the satellite carrier shall, on the 15th of 
     each month, submit to the network a list identifying (by name 
     and street address, including county and zip code) any 
     subscribers who have been added or dropped as subscribers 
     since the last submission under this subsection.
       ``(3) Use of subscriber information.--Subscriber 
     information submitted by a satellite carrier under this 
     subsection may be used only for the purposes of monitoring 
     compliance by the satellite carrier with this section.
       ``(4) Requirements of stations.--The submission 
     requirements of this subsection shall apply to a satellite 
     carrier only if the network to whom the submissions are to be 
     made places on file with the Register of Copyrights a 
     document identifying the name and address of the person to 
     whom such submissions are to be made. The Register shall 
     maintain for public inspection a file of all such documents.
       ``(c) No Royalty Fee Required.--A satellite carrier whose 
     secondary transmissions are subject to statutory licensing 
     under subsection (a) shall have no royalty obligation for 
     such secondary transmissions.
       ``(d) Noncompliance With Reporting Requirements.--
     Notwithstanding subsection (a), the willful or repeated 
     secondary transmission to the public by a satellite carrier 
     into the local market of a television broadcast station of a 
     primary transmission made by that television broadcast 
     station and embodying a performance or display of a work is 
     actionable as an act of infringement under section 501, and 
     is fully subject to the remedies provided under sections 502 
     through 506 and 509, if the satellite carrier has not 
     complied with the reporting requirements of subsection (b).
       ``(e) Willful Alterations.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), 
     the secondary transmission to the public by a satellite 
     carrier into the local market of a television broadcast 
     station of a primary transmission made by that television 
     broadcast station and embodying a performance or display of a 
     work is actionable as an act of infringement under section 
     501, and is fully subject to the remedies provided by 
     sections 502 through 506 and sections 509 and 510, if the 
     content of the particular program in which the performance or 
     display is embodied, or any commercial advertising or station 
     announcement transmitted by the primary transmitter during, 
     or immediately before or after, the transmission of such 
     program, is in any way willfully altered by the satellite 
     carrier through changes, deletions, or additions, or is 
     combined with programming from any other broadcast signal.
       ``(f) Violation of Territorial Restrictions on Statutory 
     License for Television Broadcast Stations.--
       ``(1) Individual violations.--The willful or repeated 
     secondary transmission to the public by a satellite carrier 
     of a primary transmission made by a television broadcast 
     station and embodying a performance or display of a work to a 
     subscriber who does not reside in that station's local 
     market, and is not subject to statutory licensing under 
     section 119, is actionable as an act of infringement under 
     section 501 and is fully subject to the remedies provided by 
     sections 502 through 506 and 509, except that--
       ``(A) no damages shall be awarded for such act of 
     infringement if the satellite carrier took corrective action 
     by promptly withdrawing service from the ineligible 
     subscriber; and
       ``(B) any statutory damages shall not exceed $5 for such 
     subscriber for each month during which the violation 
     occurred.
       ``(2) Pattern of violations.--If a satellite carrier 
     engages in a willful or repeated pattern or practice of 
     secondarily transmitting to the public a primary transmission 
     made by a television broadcast station and embodying a 
     performance or display of a work to subscribers who do not 
     reside in that station's local market, and are not subject to 
     statutory licensing under section 119, then in addition to 
     the remedies under paragraph (1)--
       ``(A) if the pattern or practice has been carried out on a 
     substantially nationwide basis, the court shall order a 
     permanent injunction barring the secondary transmission by 
     the satellite carrier of the primary transmissions of that 
     television broadcast station (and if such television 
     broadcast station is a network station, all other television 
     broadcast stations affiliated with such network), and the 
     court may order statutory damages not exceeding $250,000 for 
     each 6-month period during which the pattern or practice was 
     carried out; and
       ``(B) if the pattern or practice has been carried out on a 
     local or regional basis with respect to more than one 
     television broadcast station (and if such television 
     broadcast station is a network station, all other television 
     broadcast stations affiliated with such network), the court 
     shall order a permanent injunction barring the secondary 
     transmission in that locality or region by the satellite 
     carrier of the primary transmissions of any television 
     broadcast station, and the court may order statutory damages 
     not exceeding $250,000 for each 6-month period during which 
     the pattern or practice was carried out.
       ``(g) Burden of Proof.--In any action brought under 
     subsection (d), (e), or (f), the satellite carrier shall have 
     the burden of proving that its secondary transmission of a 
     primary transmission by a television broadcast station is 
     made only to subscribers located within that station's local 
     market.
       ``(h) Geographic Limitations on Secondary Transmissions.--
     The statutory license created by this section shall apply to 
     secondary transmissions to locations in the United States, 
     and any commonwealth, territory, or possession of the United 
     States.
       ``(i) Exclusivity With Respect to Secondary Transmissions 
     of Broadcast Stations by Satellite to Members of the 
     Public.--No provision of section 111 or any other law (other 
     than this section and section 119) shall be construed to 
     contain any authorization, exemption, or license through 
     which secondary transmissions by satellite carriers of 
     programming contained in a primary transmission made by a 
     television broadcast station may be made without obtaining 
     the consent of the copyright owner.
       ``(j) Definitions.--In this section--
       ``(1) The term `distributor' means an entity which 
     contracts to distribute secondary transmissions from a 
     satellite carrier and, either as a single channel or in a 
     package with other programming, provides the secondary 
     transmission either directly to individual subscribers or 
     indirectly through other program distribution entities.
       ``(2) The term `local market' for a television broadcast 
     station has the meaning given that term under rules, 
     regulations, and authorizations of the Federal Communications 
     Commission relating to carriage of television broadcast 
     signals by satellite carriers.
       ``(3) The terms `network station', `satellite carrier' and 
     `secondary transmission' have the meaning given such terms 
     under section 119(d).
       ``(4) The term `subscriber' means an entity that receives a 
     secondary transmission service by means of a secondary 
     transmission from a satellite and pays a fee for the service, 
     directly or indirectly, to the satellite carrier or to a 
     distributor.
       ``(5) The term `television broadcast station' means an 
     over-the-air, commercial or noncommercial television 
     broadcast station licensed by the Federal Communications 
     Commission under subpart E of part 73 of title 47, Code of 
     Federal Regulations.''.
       (b) Technical and Conforming Amendments.--The table of 
     sections for chapter 1 of title 17, United States Code, is 
     amended by adding after the item relating to section 121 the 
     following:

``122. Limitations on exclusive rights; secondary transmissions by 
              satellite carriers within local market.''.

     SEC. 103. EXTENSION OF EFFECT OF AMENDMENTS TO SECTION 119 OF 
                   TITLE 17, UNITED STATES CODE.

       Section 4(a) of the Satellite Home Viewer Act of 1994 (17 
     U.S.C. 119 note; Public Law 103-369; 108 Stat. 3481) is 
     amended by striking ``December 31, 1999'' and inserting 
     ``December 31, 2004''.

     SEC. 104. COMPUTATION OF ROYALTY FEES FOR SATELLITE CARRIERS.

       Section 119(c) of title 17, United States Code, is amended 
     by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
       ``(4) Reduction.--
       ``(A) Superstation.--The rate of the royalty fee in effect 
     on January 1, 1998 payable in each case under subsection 
     (b)(1)(B)(i) shall be reduced by 30 percent.
       ``(B) Network.--The rate of the royalty fee in effect on 
     January 1, 1998 payable under subsection (b)(1)(B)(ii) shall 
     be reduced by 45 percent.
       ``(5) Public broadcasting service as agent.--For purposes 
     of section 802, with respect to royalty fees paid by 
     satellite carriers for retransmitting the Public Broadcasting 
     Service satellite feed, the Public Broadcasting Service shall 
     be the agent for all public television copyright claimants 
     and all Public Broadcasting Service member stations.''.

     SEC. 105. DEFINITIONS.

       Section 119(d) of title 17, United States Code, is amended 
     by striking paragraph (10) and inserting the following:
       ``(10) Unserved household.--The term `unserved household', 
     with respect to a particular television network, means a 
     household that cannot receive, through the use of a 
     conventional outdoor rooftop receiving antenna, an over-the-
     air signal of grade B intensity (as defined by the Federal 
     Communications Commission) of a primary network station 
     affiliated with that network or is not otherwise eligible to 
     receive directly from a satellite carrier a signal of that 
     television network (other than a signal provided under 
     section 122) in accordance with section 338 of the 
     Communications Act of 1934.''.

     SEC. 106. PUBLIC BROADCASTING SERVICE SATELLITE FEED.

       (a) Secondary Transmissions.--Section 119(a)(1) of title 
     17, United States Code, is amended--
       (1) by striking the paragraph heading and inserting ``(1) 
     Superstations and pbs satellite feed.--'';
       (2) by inserting ``or by the Public Broadcasting Service 
     satellite feed'' after ``superstation''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following: ``In the case of 
     the Public Broadcasting Service satellite feed, the 
     compulsory license shall be effective until January 1, 
     2002.''.
       (b) Definitions.--Section 119(d) of title 17, United States 
     Code, is amended--
       (1) by amending paragraph (9) to read as follows:
       ``(9) Superstation.--The term `super-station'--
       ``(A) means a television broadcast station, other than a 
     network station, licensed by the Federal Communications 
     Commission that is secondarily transmitted by a satellite 
     carrier; and
       ``(B) includes the Public Broadcasting Service satellite 
     feed.''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(12) Public broadcasting service satellite feed.--The 
     term `Public Broadcasting Service satellite feed' means the 
     national satellite feed distributed by the Public 
     Broadcasting Service consisting of educational and 
     informational programming intended for private home viewing, 
     to which the Public Broadcasting Service holds national 
     terrestrial broadcast rights.''.

[[Page S5885]]

     SEC. 107. APPLICATION OF FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 
                   REGULATIONS.

       Section 119(a) of title 17, United States Code, is 
     amended--
       (1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``is permissible under 
     the rules, regulations, and authorizations of the Federal 
     Communications Commission,'' after ``satellite carrier to the 
     public for private home viewing,'';
       (2) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``is permissible under 
     the rules, regulations, and authorizations of the Federal 
     Communications Commission,'' after ``satellite carrier to the 
     public for private home viewing,''; and
       (3) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(11) Statutory license contingent on compliance with fcc 
     rules and remedial steps.--The willful or repeated secondary 
     transmission to the public by a satellite carrier of a 
     primary transmission made by a broadcast station licensed by 
     the Federal Communications Commission is actionable as an act 
     of infringement under section 501, and is fully subject to 
     the remedies provided by sections 502 through 506 and 509, 
     if, at the time of such transmission, the satellite carrier 
     is not in compliance with the rules, regulations, and 
     authorizations of the Federal Communications Commission 
     concerning the carriage of television broadcast station 
     signals.''.

     SEC. 108. TELEVISION BROADCAST STATION STANDING.

       Section 501 of title 17, United States Code, is amended by 
     adding at the end the following:
       ``(f) With respect to any secondary transmission that is 
     made by a satellite carrier of a primary transmission 
     embodying the performance or display of a work and is 
     actionable as an act of infringement under section 122, a 
     television broadcast station holding a copyright or other 
     license to transmit or perform the same version of that work 
     shall, for purposes of subsection (b) of this section, be 
     treated as a legal or beneficial owner if such secondary 
     transmission occurs within the local market of that 
     station.''.

     SEC. 109. MORATORIUM ON COPYRIGHT LIABILITY.

       Until December 31, 1999, no subscriber, as defined under 
     section 119(d)(8) of title 17, United States Code, located 
     within the predicted Grade B contour of a local network 
     television broadcast station shall have satellite service of 
     a distant network signal affiliated with the same network 
     terminated, if that subscriber received satellite service of 
     such network signal before July 11, 1998, as a result of 
     section 119 of title 17, United States Code.

     SEC. 110. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This title and the amendments made by this title shall take 
     effect on January 1, 1999, except the amendments made by 
     section 104 shall take effect on July 1, 1999.

               TITLE II--SATELLITE TELEVISION ACT OF 1999

     SEC. 201. SHORT TITLE.

       This title may be cited as the ``Satellite Television Act 
     of 1999''.

     SEC. 202. FINDINGS.

       The Congress makes the following findings:
       (1) In the Cable Television Consumer Protection and 
     Competition Act of 1992, Congress stated its policy of 
     promoting competition in cable services and making available 
     to the public a diversity of views and information through 
     cable television and other video media.
       (2) In the Telecommunications Act of 1996, Congress stated 
     its policy of securing lower prices and higher quality 
     service for American telecommunications consumers and 
     encouraging the rapid deployment of new telecommunications 
     technologies.
       (3) In most places throughout America, cable television 
     system operators still do not face effective competition from 
     other providers of multichannel video service.
       (4) Absent effective competition, the market power 
     exercised by cable television operators enables them to raise 
     the price of cable service to consumers, and to control the 
     price and availability of cable programming services to other 
     multichannel video service providers. Current Federal 
     Communications Commission rules have been inadequate in 
     constraining cable price increases.
       (5) Direct-to-home satellite service has over 8 million 
     subscribers and constitutes the most significant competitive 
     alternative to cable television service.
       (6) Direct-to-home satellite service currently suffers from 
     a number of statutory, regulatory, and technical barriers 
     that keep it from being an effective competitor to cable 
     television in the provision of multichannel video services.
       (7) The most prominent of these barriers is the inability 
     to provide subscribers with local television broadcast 
     signals by satellite.
       (8) Permitting providers of direct-to-home satellite 
     service to retransmit local television signals to their 
     subscribers would greatly enhance the ability of direct-to-
     home satellite service providers to compete more effectively 
     in the provision of multichannel video services.
       (9) Due to capacity limitations and in the interest of 
     providing service in as many markets as possible, providers 
     of direct-to-home satellite service, unlike cable television 
     systems, cannot at this time carry all local television 
     broadcast signals in all the local television markets they 
     seek to serve.
       (10) It would be in the public interest for providers of 
     direct-to-home satellite service to fully comply with the 
     mandatory signal carriage rules at the earliest possible 
     date. In the interim, requiring full compliance with the 
     mandatory signal carriage rules would substantially limit the 
     ability of direct-to-home satellite service providers to 
     compete in the provision of multichannel video services and 
     would not serve the public interest.
       (11) Maintaining the viability of free, local, over-the-air 
     television service is a matter of preeminent public interest.
       (12) All subscribers to multichannel video services should 
     be able to receive the signal of at least one station 
     affiliated with each of the major broadcast television 
     networks.
       (13) Millions of subscribers to direct-to-home satellite 
     service currently receive the signals of network-affiliated 
     stations not located in these subscribers' local television 
     markets. Where conventional rooftop antennas cannot provide 
     satisfactory reception of local stations, distant network 
     signals may be these subscribers' only source of network 
     television service.
       (14) The widespread carriage of distant network stations in 
     local network affiliates' markets could harm the local 
     stations' ability to serve their local community.
       (15) Abrupt termination of satellite carriers' provision of 
     distant network signals could have a negative impact on the 
     ability of direct-to-home satellite service to compete 
     effectively in the provision of multichannel video services.
       (16) The public interest would be served by permitting 
     direct-to-home satellite service providers to continue 
     existing carriage of a distant network affiliate station's 
     signal where--
       (A) there is no local network affiliate;
       (B) the local network affiliate cannot be adequately 
     received off-air; or
       (C) continued carriage would not harm the local network 
     station.

     SEC. 203. PURPOSE.

       The purpose of this title is to promote competition in the 
     provision of multichannel video services while protecting the 
     availability of free, local, over-the-air television, 
     particularly for the 22 percent of American television 
     households that do not subscribe to any multichannel video 
     programming service.

     SEC. 204. MUST-CARRY FOR SATELLITE CARRIERS RETRANSMITTING 
                   TELEVISION BROADCAST SIGNALS.

       Part I of title III of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 
     U.S.C. 301 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end thereof 
     the following:

     ``SEC. 338. CARRIAGE OF LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS BY 
                   SATELLITE CARRIERS.

       ``(a) Application of Mandatory Carriage to Satellite 
     Carriers.--The mandatory carriage provisions of sections 614 
     and 615 of this Act will apply in a local market no later 
     than January 1, 2002, to satellite carriers retransmitting 
     any television broadcast station in that local market 
     pursuant to the compulsory license provided by section 122 of 
     title 17, United States Code.
       ``(b) Good Signal Required.--
       ``(1) Costs.--A television broadcast station eligible for 
     carriage under subsection (a) may be required to bear the 
     costs associated with delivering a good quality signal to the 
     designated local receive facility of the satellite carrier. 
     The selection of a local receive facility by a satellite 
     carrier shall not be made in a manner that frustrates the 
     purposes of this Act. The Commission shall implement the 
     requirements of this section without imposing any undue 
     economic burden on any party.
       ``(2) Rulemaking required.--The Commission shall adopt 
     rules implementing paragraph (1) within 180 days after the 
     date of enactment of the Satellite Television Act of 1999.
       ``(c) Cable Television System Digital Signal Carriage Not 
     Covered.--Nothing in this section applies to the carriage of 
     the digital signals of television broadcast stations by cable 
     television systems.
       ``(d) Definitions.--In this section:
       ``(1) Television broadcast station.--The term `television 
     broadcast station' means a full power local television 
     broadcast station, but does not include a low-power or 
     translator television broadcast station.
       ``(2) Network station.--The term `network station' means a 
     television broadcast station that is owned or operated by, or 
     affiliated with, a broadcasting network.
       ``(3) Broadcasting network.--The term `broadcasting 
     network' means a television network in the United States 
     which offers an interconnected program service on a regular 
     basis for 15 or more hours per week to at least 25 affiliated 
     broadcast stations in 10 or more States.
       ``(4) Distant television station.--The term `distant 
     television station' means any television broadcast station 
     that is not licensed and operating on a channel regularly 
     assigned to the local television market in which a subscriber 
     to a direct-to-home satellite service is located.
       ``(5) Local market.--The term `local market' means the 
     designated market area in which a station is located. For a 
     noncommercial educational television broadcast station, the 
     local market includes any station that is licensed to a 
     community within the same designated market area as the 
     noncommercial educational television broadcast station.
       ``(6) Satellite carrier.--The term `satellite carrier' has 
     the meaning given it by section 119(d) of title 17, United 
     States Code.

     ``SEC. 339. CARRIAGE OF DISTANT TELEVISION STATIONS BY 
                   SATELLITE CARRIERS.

       ``(a) Provisions Relating to New Subscribers.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (d), 
     direct-to-home satellite service providers shall be permitted 
     to provide the signals of 1 affiliate of each television 
     network to any household that initially subscribed to direct-
     to-home satellite service on or after July 10, 1998.
       ``(2) Eligibility determination.--The determination of a 
     new subscriber's eligibility to receive the signals of one or 
     more distant network stations as a component of the service 
     provided pursuant to paragraph (a) shall be made by 
     ascertaining whether the subscriber resides within the 
     predicted Grade B service area of a

[[Page S5886]]

     local network station. The Individual Location Longley-Rice 
     methodology described by the Commission in Docket 98-201 
     shall be used to make this determination. A direct-to-home 
     satellite service provider may provide the signal of a 
     distant network station to any subscriber determined by this 
     method to be unserved by a local station affiliated with that 
     network.
       ``(3) Rulemaking required.--
       ``(A) Within 90 days after the date of enactment of the 
     Satellite Television Act of 1999, the Commission shall adopt 
     procedures that shall be used by any direct-to-home satellite 
     service subscriber requesting a waiver to receive one or more 
     distant network signals. The waiver procedures adopted by the 
     Commission shall--
       ``(i) impose no unnecessary burden on the subscriber 
     seeking the waiver;
       ``(ii) allocate responsibilities fairly between direct-to-
     home satellite service providers and local stations;
       ``(iii) prescribe mandatory time limits within which 
     direct-to-home satellite service providers and local stations 
     shall carry out the obligations imposed upon them; and
       ``(iv) prescribe that all costs of conducting any 
     measurement or testing shall be borne by the direct-to-home 
     satellite service provider, if the local station's signal 
     meets the prescribed minimum standards, or by the local 
     station, if its signal fails to meet the prescribed minimum 
     standards.
       ``(4) Penalty for violation.--Any direct-to-home satellite 
     service provider that knowingly and willfully provides the 
     signals of 1 or more distant television stations to 
     subscribers in violation of this section shall be liable for 
     forfeiture in the amount of $50,000 per day per violation.
       ``(b) Provisions Relating to Existing Subscribers.--
       ``(1) Moratorium on termination.--Until December 31, 1999, 
     any direct-to-home satellite service may continue to provide 
     the signals of distant television stations to any subscriber 
     located within predicted Grade A and Grade B contours of a 
     local network station who received those distant network 
     signals before July 11, 1998.
       ``(2) Continued carriage.--Direct-to-home satellite service 
     providers may continue to provide the signals of distant 
     television stations to subscribers located between the 
     outside limits of the predicted Grade A contour and the 
     predicted Grade B contour of the corresponding local network 
     stations after December 31, 1999, subject to any limitations 
     adopted by the Commission under paragraph (3).
       ``(3) Rulemaking required.--
       ``(A) Within 180 days after the date of enactment of the 
     Satellite Television Act of 1999, the Commission shall 
     conclude a single rulemaking, compliant with subchapter II of 
     chapter 5 of title 5, United States Code, to examine the 
     extent to which any existing program exclusivity rules should 
     be imposed on distant network stations provided to 
     subscribers under paragraph (2).
       ``(B) The Commission shall not impose any program 
     exclusivity rules on direct-to-home satellite service 
     providers pursuant to subparagraph (A) unless it finds that 
     it would be both technically and economically feasible and 
     otherwise in the public interest to do so.
       ``(c) Waivers Not Precluded.--Notwithstanding any other 
     provision in this section, nothing shall preclude any network 
     stations from authorizing the continued provision of distant 
     network signals in unaltered form to any direct-to-home 
     satellite service subscriber currently receiving them.
       ``(d) Certain Signals.--Providers of direct-to-home 
     satellite service may continue to carry the signals of 
     distant network stations without regard to subsections (a) 
     and (b) in any situation in which--
       ``(1) a subscriber is unserved by the local station 
     affiliated with that network;
       ``(2) a waiver is otherwise granted by the local station 
     under subsection (c); or
       ``(3) if the carriage would otherwise be consistent with 
     rules adopted by the Commission in CS Docket 98-201.
       ``(e) Report Required.--Within 180 days after the date of 
     enactment of the Satellite Television Act of 1999, the 
     Commission shall report to Congress on methods of 
     facilitating the delivery of local signals in local markets, 
     especially smaller markets.''.

     SEC. 205. RETRANSMISSION CONSENT.

       (a) Amendment of Section 325(b).--Section 325(b) of the 
     Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 325(b)) is amended by 
     striking the subsection designation and paragraphs (1) and 
     (2) and inserting the following:
       ``(b)(1) No cable system or other multichannel video 
     programming distributor shall retransmit the signal of a 
     broadcasting station, or any part thereof, except--
       ``(A) with the express authority of the station; or
       ``(B) pursuant to section 614 or section 615, in the case 
     of a station electing, in accordance with this subsection, to 
     assert the right to carriage under that section.
       ``(2) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply 
     to--
       ``(A) retransmission of the signal of a television 
     broadcast station outside the station's local market by a 
     satellite carrier directly to subscribers if--
       ``(i) that station was a superstation on May 1, 1991;
       ``(ii) as of July 1, 1998, such station's signal was 
     transmitted under the compulsory license of section 119 of 
     title 17, United States Code, by satellite carriers directly 
     to at least 250,000 subscribers; and
       ``(iii) the satellite carrier complies with any program 
     exclusivity rules that may be adopted by the Federal 
     Communications Commission pursuant to section 338.
       ``(B) retransmission of the distant signal of a 
     broadcasting station that is owned or operated by, or 
     affiliated with, a broadcasting network directly to a home 
     satellite antenna, if the subscriber resides in an unserved 
     household; or
       ``(C) retransmission by a cable operator or other 
     multichannel video programming distributor (other than by a 
     satellite carrier direct to its subscribers) of the signal of 
     a television broadcast station outside the station's local 
     market, if that signal was obtained from a satellite carrier 
     and--
       ``(i) the originating station was a superstation on May 1, 
     1991; and
       ``(ii) the originating station was a network station on 
     December 31, 1997, and its signal was retransmitted by a 
     satellite carrier directly to subscribers.
       ``(3) Any term used in this subsection that is defined in 
     section 337(d) of this Act has the meaning given to it by 
     that section.''.
       (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsection (a) 
     take effect on January 1, 1999.

     SEC. 206. DESIGNATED MARKET AREAS.

       Nothing in this title, or in the amendments made by this 
     title, prevents the Federal Communications Commission from 
     revising the listing of designated market areas or 
     reassigning those areas if the revision or reassignment is 
     done in the same manner and to the same extent as the 
     Commission's cable television mandatory carriage rules 
     provide.

     SEC. 207. SEVERABILITY.

       If any provision of this title or section 325(b) or 337 of 
     the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 325(b) or 337, 
     respectively), or the application of that provision to any 
     person or circumstance, is held by a court of competent 
     jurisdiction to violate any provision of the Constitution of 
     the United States, then the other provisions of that section, 
     and the application of that provision to other persons and 
     circumstances, shall not be affected.

     SEC. 208. DEFINITIONS.

       In this title:
       (1) Terms defined in communications act of 1934.--Any term 
     used in this title that is defined in section 337(d) of the 
     Communications Act of 1934, as added by section 204 of this 
     title, has the meaning given to it by that section.
       (2) Designated market area.--The term ``designated market 
     area'' means a designated market area, as determined by 
     Nielsen Media Research and published in the DMA Market and 
     Demographic Report.

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