[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 120 (Wednesday, June 23, 1999)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 33424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-15958]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 79

[DA 99-1133]


Closed Captioning and Video Description of Video Programming

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: This document contains an editorial amendment to the 
Commission's regulations concerning closed captioning. The amendment 
eliminates an inadvertent reference to a term used as a trademark.

DATES: Effective June 23, 1999.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David S. Senzel, Office of General 
Counsel (202) 418-1720.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is the full text of the Order of the 
Commission's Managing Director, DA 99-1133, adopted on June 8, 1999, 
and released June 10, 1999.
    1. By this order, we correct the language of 47 CFR 79.1, the 
Commission's closed captioning rule. Paragraph 79.1(e)(3) deals with 
the acceptability of using a method of captioning referred to in the 
rule as the: ``so-called `electronic newsroom' or ENR technique.'' The 
Commission intended by this term to refer to a generic captioning 
methodology that generates captions using the output of news script 
computer or teleprompter systems. See Closed Captioning and Video 
Description of Video Programming, 13 FCC Rcd 19973, 19989 para. 32 
(1998), 63 FR 55959 (October 20, 1998). While it appears that the terms 
``electronic newsroom'' and ``electronic newsroom captioning'' are 
indeed generic terms, it has come to our attention that the rule's 
reference to ``ENR'' may be confused with the term ``ENR'' used by 
Comprompter, Inc. of La Crosse, Wisconsin as the trademark for one of 
its products. To eliminate any possible confusion, we will amend the 
rule accordingly.
    2. Accordingly, it is Ordered, Pursuant to the authority delegated 
under 47 CFR 0.231(b), 47 CFR Part 79 is amended effective June 23, 
1999.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 79

    Cable television, Closed captioning, Television.

Federal Communications Commission
Mary Beth Richards
Deputy Managing Director

Rule Change

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, Part 79 of the Code of 
Federal regulations is amended as follows:

PART 79--CLOSED CAPTIONING OF VIDEO PROGRAMMING

    1. The authority citation for Part 79 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 47 U.S.C. 613.

    2. Section 79.1(e)(3) is revised to read as follows:


Sec. 79.1  Closed captioning of video programming.

* * * * *
    (e)***
    (3) Live programming or repeats of programming originally 
transmitted live that are captioned using the so-called ``electronic 
newsroom technique'' will be considered captioned, except that 
effective January 1, 2000, and thereafter, the major national broadcast 
television networks (i.e., ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC), affiliates of these 
networks in the top 25 television markets as defined by Nielsen's 
Designated Market Areas (DMAs) and national nonbroadcast networks 
serving at least 50% of all homes subscribing to multichannel video 
programming services shall not count electronic newsroom captioned 
programming towards compliance with these rules. The live portions of 
noncommercial broadcasters' fundraising activities that use automated 
software to create a continuous captioned message will be considered 
captioned;
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 99-15958 Filed 6-22-99; 8:45 am]
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