[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 144 (Wednesday, July 28, 2010)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 44198-44209]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-18538]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 76

[MB Docket No. 10-148; FCC 10-130]


Implementation of Section 203 of the Satellite Television 
Extension and Localism Act of 2010 (STELA); Amendments to Section 340 
of the Communications Act

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission proposes changes to its 
satellite television ``significantly viewed'' rules to implement 
Section 203 of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 
2010 (STELA). Section 203 of the STELA amends Section 340 of the 
Communications Act, which gives satellite carriers the authority to 
offer out-of-market but ``significantly viewed'' broadcast television 
network stations as part of their local service to subscribers. The 
STELA requires the Commission to issue final rules in this proceeding 
on or before November 24, 2010.

DATES: Comments are due on or before August 17, 2010; reply comments 
are due on or before August 27, 2010.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by MB Docket No. 10-148, 
by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal Communications Commission's Electronic Comment 
Filing System (ECFS) Web Site: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/. Follow 
the instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: All filings must be addressed to the Commission's 
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 
445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.
     People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by e-mail: [email protected] or phone: 202-418-
0530; or TTY: 202-418-0432.

For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional 
information on the rulemaking process, see the section V. ``PROCEDURAL 
MATTERS'' heading of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this 
document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on this 
proceeding, Evan Baranoff, [email protected], of the Media Bureau, 
Policy Division, (202) 418-7142.

[[Page 44199]]


SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's Notice 
of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), FCC 10-130, adopted on July 22, 2010, 
and released on July 23, 2010. The full text of this document is 
available electronically via ECFS at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/or 
may be downloaded at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs-public/attachmatch/FCC-10-130.pdf. (Documents will be available electronically in ASCII, 
Word 97, and/or Adobe Acrobat.) This document is also available for 
public inspection and copying during regular business hours in the FCC 
Reference Center, Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, 
SW., CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. The complete text may be purchased 
from the Commission's copy contractor, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-
B402, Washington, DC 20554. Alternative formats are available for 
people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio 
format), by sending an e-mail to [email protected] or calling the 
Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 
(voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Summary of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

I. Introduction

    1. In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), we propose changes 
to our satellite television ``significantly viewed'' rules to implement 
Section 203 of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 
2010 (STELA).\1\ Section 203 of the STELA amends Section 340 of the 
Communications Act of 1934 (``Communications Act'' or ``Act''), which 
gives satellite carriers the authority to offer out-of-market but 
``significantly viewed'' broadcast television network stations as part 
of their local service to subscribers.\2\ The STELA requires the 
Commission to issue final rules in this proceeding on or before 
Wednesday, November 24, 2010.\3\
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    \1\ The Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010 
(STELA) sec. 203, Pub. L. 111-175, 124 Stat. 1218, 1245 (2010) (sec. 
203 codified as amended at 47 U.S.C. 340, other STELA amendments 
codified in scattered sections of 17 and 47 U.S.C.). The STELA was 
enacted on May 27, 2010 (S. 3333, 111th Cong.). This proceeding to 
implement STELA sec. 203 (titled ``Significantly Viewed Stations''), 
124 Stat. at 1245, and the related statutory copyright license 
provisions in STELA sec. 103 (titled ``Modifications to Statutory 
License for Satellite Carriers in Local Markets''), 124 Stat. at 
1227-28, is one of a number of Commission proceedings that are 
required to implement the STELA.
    \2\ 47 U.S.C. 340. We note that the nature of SV carriage under 
Section 340 is permissive (and not mandatory), meaning the statute 
applies when a satellite carrier chooses to carry an SV station and 
has obtained retransmission consent from such SV station. Id. at 
340(d).
    \3\ The STELA requires the Commission to take all actions 
necessary to promulgate a rule to implement the amendments within 
270 days after the date of the enactment. STELA sec. 203(b). The 
STELA establishes February 27, 2010 as its effective date or ``date 
of enactment,'' even though the law was enacted by Presidential 
signature on May 27, 2010. STELA sec. 307. Congress backdated the 
STELA's effective date to protect the satellite carriers that 
continued to provide distant signals (which, at that time, included 
significantly viewed signals) during a two-day gap in coverage of 
the distant signal statutory copyright license, which expired on 
February 28 and was not extended until March 2, 2010. Congress 
passed four short-term extensions of the distant signal statutory 
copyright license (December 19, 2009, March 2, March 25 and April 
15, 2010) before finally passing STELA to reauthorize the license 
for five years.
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    2. Significantly viewed (``SV'') stations are television broadcast 
stations that the Commission has determined have sufficient over-the-
air (i.e., non-cable or non-satellite) viewing \4\ to be considered 
local for certain purposes and so are not constrained by the boundary 
of that station's local market or Designated Market Area (``DMA''). The 
individual TV station, or cable operator or satellite carrier that 
seeks to carry the station, may petition the Commission to obtain 
``significantly viewed'' status for the station,\5\ and placement on 
the SV List.\6\ The designation of ``significantly viewed'' status 
allows a station assigned to one market to be treated as a ``local'' 
station with respect to a particular cable or satellite community \7\ 
in another market, and, thus, enables its cable or satellite carriage 
into said community in that other market.\8\ Whereas cable operators 
have had carriage rights for SV stations since 1972,\9\ satellite 
carriers have had such authority only since 2004 \10\ and may only 
retransmit SV network stations to ``eligible'' satellite 
subscribers.\11\ These satellite subscriber eligibility restrictions 
are intended to prevent satellite carriers from favoring an SV network 
station over the in-market (local) station affiliated with the same 
network.\12\
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    \4\ To qualify for significantly viewed status (i.e., for 
placement on the significantly viewed list or ``SV List''), an SV 
station can be either a ``network'' station or an ``independent'' 
station, with network stations requiring a higher share of viewing 
hours. 47 CFR 76.5(i)(1) and (2). The Commission's rules define 
network station as one of the ``three major national television 
networks'' (i.e., ABC, CBS or NBC). 47 CFR 76.5(j) and (k). Parties 
may demonstrate that stations are significantly viewed either on a 
community basis or on a county-wide basis. 47 CFR 76.54(b), (d).
    \5\ See 47 CFR 76.5, 76.7, 76.54. A TV station, cable operator 
or satellite carrier that wishes to have a station designated 
significantly viewed must file a petition pursuant to the pleading 
requirements in 47 CFR 76.7(a)(1) and use the method described in 47 
CFR 76.54 to demonstrate that the station is significantly viewed as 
defined in 47 CFR 76.5(i). SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and 
Order, FCC 05-187, 70 FR 76504, December 27, 2005.
    \6\ The significantly viewed list or ``SV List'' identifies the 
list of stations the Commission has determined to be significantly 
viewed in specified counties and communities. The list applies to 
both cable and satellite providers. The Commission updates this list 
as necessary upon the appropriate demonstrations by stations or 
cable or satellite providers. The current SV List is available on 
the Media Bureau's Web site at http://www.fcc.gov/ mb/.
    \7\ We note that the SV station can only be carried in the cable 
or satellite community in which it is significantly viewed. See 47 
CFR 76.5(dd) (defining cable ``community unit'') and 76.5(gg) 
(defining a ``satellite community'').
    \8\ For copyright purposes, significantly viewed status means 
that cable and satellite providers may carry the distant but SV 
station with the reduced copyright payment obligations applicable to 
local (in-market) stations. See 17 U.S.C. 111(a), (c), (d), and (f), 
as amended by STELA sec. 104 (relating to cable statutory copyright 
license) and 122(a)(2), as amended by STELA sec. 103 (relating to 
satellite statutory copyright license).
    \9\ See Cable Television Report and Order, FCC 72-108, 37 FR 
3252, February 3, 1972 (adopting the concept of ``significantly 
viewed'' signals to differentiate between otherwise out-of-market 
television stations ``that have sufficient audience to be considered 
local and those that do not'').
    \10\ Section 202 of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and 
Reauthorization Act of 2004 (SHVERA) created Section 340 of the 
Communications Act, which authorized satellite carriage of 
Commission-determined SV stations. See SHVERA sec. 202, Pub. L. 108-
447, 118 Stat 2809, 3393 (2004) (codified in 47 U.S.C. 340). See 
also SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order.
    \11\ See 47 U.S.C. 340(b) and 47 CFR 76.54(g) and (h).
    \12\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(1) and (2). See, e.g., SHVERA 
Significantly Viewed Report and Order. The Copyright Act's 
definitions of ``network station'' and ``non-network station'' will 
apply for purposes of determining subscriber eligibility to receive 
an SV network station. See 47 U.S.C. 339(d) and 47 U.S.C 122(j)(4), 
as amended, applying the definitions of such terms in 47 U.S.C 
119(d)(2) and (9). Unlike the definition in the Commission's rules, 
which specifically include only ABC, CBS and NBC, the Copyright Act 
definition of ``network station'' may include other stations. See 
SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order.
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    3. Section 203 of the STELA eliminates two statutory limitations on 
subscriber eligibility to receive SV network stations from satellite 
carriers.\13\ To implement the STELA, we propose the following changes 
to our satellite subscriber eligibility rules:
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    \13\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(1) and (2).
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     We propose to eliminate the requirement that satellite 
carriers offer ``equivalent bandwidth'' to the local and SV network 
station pair, and to require instead carriage of the local network 
affiliate in high definition (HD) as a precondition to satellite 
carriage of the HD programming of an SV station affiliated with the 
same network.
     We propose to eliminate the requirement that a subscriber 
receive the specific local network station (as part of the satellite 
carrier's ``local-into-local'' service) in order for that subscriber to 
also receive an SV station affiliated with the same network and to

[[Page 44200]]

require instead that the subscriber receive local-into-local satellite 
service.

II. Background

    4. In May 2010, Congress passed and the President signed the STELA, 
which amends the 1988 copyright laws \14\ and the Communications Act of 
1934 \15\ to ``modernize, improve and simplify the compulsory copyright 
licenses governing the retransmission of distant and local television 
signals by cable and satellite television operators.'' \16\ Congress 
intended for the STELA to increase competition and service to satellite 
and cable consumers and update the law to reflect the completion of the 
digital television (DTV) transition.\17\ Notably, Congress reauthorizes 
the statutory copyright license for satellite carriage of SV stations 
and moves that license from the distant signal statutory copyright 
license provisions to the local signal statutory copyright license 
provisions.\18\ The STELA is the fourth in a series of statutes that 
addresses satellite carriage of television broadcast stations.
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    \14\ See 17 U.S.C. 119 and 122. 17 U.S.C. 119 contains the 
statutory copyright license for satellite carriage of ``distant'' 
network stations (limited to ``unserved households'') and 17 U.S.C. 
122 contains the statutory copyright license for satellite carriage 
of ``local'' stations (generally defined as stations and subscribers 
in the same DMA but which now also includes SV stations that are 
treated as ``local'' for copyright purposes, even though such 
stations are not in the same DMA as the subscribers). The STELA also 
amended 17 U.S.C. 111, the statutory copyright license for cable 
carriage of broadcast stations.
    \15\ See 47 U.S.C. 325, 338, 339 and 340.
    \16\ See House Judiciary Committee Report dated Oct. 28, 2009, 
accompanying House Bill, H.R. 3570, 111th Cong. (2009), H.R. Rep. 
No. 111-319, at 4 (``H.R. 3570 Report''). There was no final Report 
issued to accompany the final version of the STELA bill (S. 3333) as 
it was enacted. See Senate Bill, S. 3333, 111th Cong. (2010) 
(enacted). Therefore, for the relevant legislative history, we look 
to the Reports accompanying the various predecessor bills (e.g., 
H.R. 3570, H.R. 2994, and S. 1670). These Reports remain relevant 
with respect to those provisions that were unchanged, which is the 
case for the amendments to the ``significantly viewed'' provisions 
(see STELA secs. 203, 103). Finally, also relevant are certain 
remarks made in floor statements in passing the bill (S. 3333). See 
``House of Representatives Proceedings and Debates of the 111th 
Congress, Second Session,'' 156 Cong. Rec. H3317, H3328-3330 (daily 
ed. May 12, 2010) (statements of Reps. Conyers and Smith) (``House 
Floor Debate'') and ``Senate Proceedings and Debates of the 111th 
Congress, Second Session,'' 156 Cong. Rec. S3435, (daily ed. May 7, 
2010) (statement of Sen. Leahy) (``Senate Floor Debate'').
    \17\ See H.R. 3570 Report at 5. As of the June 12, 2009 
statutory DTV transition deadline, all full-power television 
stations stopped broadcasting in analog and are broadcasting only 
digital signals. 47 U.S.C. 309(j)(14)(A).
    \18\ STELA sec. 103 (moving the SV signal statutory copyright 
license from 17 U.S.C. 119(a)(3) to 17 U.S.C. 122 (a)(2)). In doing 
so, Congress now defines SV signals as another type of local signal, 
rather than as an exception to distant signals. The move also means 
that Congress won't need to reauthorize the SV signal license in 
five years, when the distant signal license will expire.
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    5. In the 1988 Satellite Home Viewer Act (``1988 SHVA''), Congress 
established a statutory copyright license to enable satellite carriers 
to offer subscribers who could not receive the over-the-air signal of a 
broadcast station access to broadcast programming via satellite.\19\ 
The 1988 SHVA was intended to protect the role of local broadcasters in 
providing over-the-air television by limiting satellite delivery of 
network broadcast programming to subscribers who were ``unserved'' by 
over-the-air signals. The 1988 SHVA also permitted satellite carriers 
to offer distant ``superstations'' to subscribers.\20\
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    \19\ The Satellite Home Viewer Act of 1988 (SHVA), Pub. L. 100-
667, 102 Stat. 3935, Title II (1988) (codified at 17 U.S.C. 111, 
119). The 1988 SHVA was enacted on November 16, 1988, as an 
amendment to the copyright laws. The 1988 SHVA gave satellite 
carriers a statutory copyright license to offer distant signals to 
``unserved'' households. 17 U.S.C. 119(a).
    \20\ See id. 119(a)(1) (2009). The STELA sec. 102(g) replaces 
the term ``superstation'' with the term ``non-network station.'' 
This change in wording has no substantive impact on our rules. A 
non-network station (previously superstation) is defined as a 
television station, other than a network station, licensed by the 
Commission that is retransmitted by a satellite carrier. Non-network 
stations are still not considered ``network stations'' for copyright 
purposes. See 17 U.S.C. 119(d)(9).
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    6. In the 1999 Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act (``SHVIA''), 
Congress expanded satellite carriers' ability to retransmit local 
broadcast television signals directly to subscribers.\21\ A key element 
of the SHVIA was the grant to satellite carriers of a statutory 
copyright license to retransmit local broadcast programming, or 
``local-into-local'' service, to subscribers. A satellite carrier 
provides ``local-into-local'' service when it retransmits a local 
television signal back into the local market of that television station 
for reception by subscribers.\22\ Generally, a television station's 
``local market'' is the DMA in which it is located.\23\ Each satellite 
carrier providing local-into-local service pursuant to the statutory 
copyright license is generally obligated to carry any qualified local 
television station in the particular DMA that has made a timely 
election for mandatory carriage, unless the station's programming is 
duplicative of the programming of another station carried by the 
carrier in the DMA or the station does not provide a good quality 
signal to the carrier's local receive facility.\24\ This is commonly 
referred to as the ``carry one, carry all'' requirement. The Commission 
implemented the SHVIA by adopting rules for satellite carriers with 
regard to carriage of broadcast signals, retransmission consent, and 
program exclusivity that paralleled the requirements for cable 
service.\25\
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    \21\ The Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act of 1999 (SHVIA), 
Pub. L. 106-113, 113 Stat. 1501 (1999). The SHVIA was enacted on 
November 29, 1999, as Title I of the Intellectual Property and 
Communications Omnibus Reform Act of 1999 (``IPACORA'') (relating to 
copyright licensing and carriage of broadcast signals by satellite 
carriers). In the SHVIA, Congress amended both the copyright laws, 
17 U.S.C. 119 and 122, and the Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. 325, 
338 and 339.
    \22\ 47 CFR 76.66(a)(6).
    \23\ See 17 U.S.C. 122(j)(2)(A); 47 U.S.C. 340(i)(1). DMAs, 
which describe each television market in terms of a unique 
geographic area, are established by Nielsen Media Research based on 
measured viewing patterns. See 17 U.S.C. 122(j)(2)(A) through (C).
    \24\ See 47 U.S.C. 338.
    \25\ See SHVIA Signal Carriage Order, 66 FR 7410, January 23, 
2001; OET SHVIA Report, FCC 00-416 (rel. Nov. 29, 2000); SHVIA 
Satellite Exclusivity Order, 65 FR 68082, November 14, 2000; SHVIA 
Retransmission Consent Enforcement Order; 65 FR 10718, February 29, 
2000; SHVIA Good Faith Retransmission Consent Order, 65 FR 15559, 
March 23, 2000.
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    7. In the 2004 Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization 
Act (``SHVERA''), Congress established the framework for satellite 
carriage of ``significantly viewed'' stations.\26\ Specifically, the 
SHVERA expanded the statutory copyright license to allow satellite 
carriers to retransmit a distant (out-of-market) network station as 
part of their local service to subscribers in a local market where the 
Commission determined that distant station to be ``significantly 
viewed'' (based on over-the-air viewing).\27\ In providing this 
authority to satellite carriers, Congress

[[Page 44201]]

sought to create parity with cable operators, who had already had such 
authority to offer SV stations to subscribers for more than 38 
years.\28\ The Commission implemented the SHVERA's significantly viewed 
provisions by publishing a list of SV stations and adopting rules for 
stations to attain eligibility for significantly viewed status and for 
subscribers to receive SV stations from satellite carriers. The SHVERA 
mandated that the Commission apply the same station eligibility 
requirements (i.e., rules and procedures for parties to show that a 
station qualifies for significantly viewed status) to satellite 
carriers that already applied to cable operators.\29\ However, to 
prevent a satellite carrier from favoring SV stations over traditional 
local market stations, the SHVERA also imposed subscriber eligibility 
requirements that applied only to satellite carriers.\30\
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    \26\ The Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act 
of 2004 (SHVERA), Pub. L. 108-447, 118 Stat 2809 (2004) (codified in 
scattered sections of 17 and 47 U.S.C.). The SHVERA was enacted on 
December 8, 2004 as title IX of the ``Consolidated Appropriations 
Act, 2005.'' The SHVERA contained additional mandates requiring 
Commission action, but not relevant to this proceeding, which 
concerns the carriage of SV stations. See SHVERA Reciprocal 
Bargaining Order, 70 FR 40216, July 13, 2005 (imposing a reciprocal 
good faith retransmission consent bargaining obligation on 
multichannel video programming distributors); SHVERA Section 210 
Order, 70 FR 51658, August 31, 2005 (requiring satellite carriers to 
carry local TV broadcast stations in Alaska and Hawaii); SHVERA 
Procedural Rules Order, 70 FR 21669, April 27, 2005 (adopting 
procedural rules concerning satellite carriers' notifications to TV 
broadcast stations and obligations to conduct signal testing); 
Public Notice, ``Media Bureau Seeks Comment For Inquiry Required By 
the on Rules Affecting Competition In the Television Marketplace,'' 
70 FR 6593, February 8, 2005 (opening inquiry concerning the impact 
of certain rules and statutory provisions on competition in the 
television marketplace).
    \27\ In the SHVERA, Congress again amended both the 
Communications Act, 47 U.S.C. 325, 338, 339 and 340, and the 
copyright laws, 17 U.S.C. 119 and 122. In creating a statutory 
copyright license for satellite carriers to offer significantly 
viewed stations as part of their local service to subscribers, 
Congress distinguished between out-of-market stations that had 
significant over-the-air viewership in a local market (i.e., 
significantly viewed stations) and truly ``distant'' stations.
    \28\ See SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order. In 1972, 
the Commission adopted the concept of ``significantly viewed'' 
stations for cable television to differentiate between out-of-market 
television stations ``that have sufficient audience to be considered 
local and those that do not.'' Cable Television Report and Order. 
The Commission concluded at that time that it would not be 
reasonable if choices on cable were more limited than choices over 
the air, and gave cable carriage rights to stations in communities 
where they had significant over-the-air (non-cable) viewing. Id.
    \29\ See 47 CFR 76.5, 76.7 and 76.54(a) through (d). As mandated 
by the SHVERA, the Commission required satellite carriers or 
broadcast stations seeking significantly viewed status for satellite 
carriage to follow the same petition process now in place for cable 
carriage.
    \30\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b) (2004). The eligibility requirements also 
addressed the different carriage requirements that apply to cable 
(i.e., ``must carry'' for all cable systems) as compared with 
satellite (i.e., ``carry one, carry all'').
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    8. The SHVERA limited subscribers' eligibility to receive SV 
digital television stations from satellite carriers in two key ways. 
First, the SHVERA allowed a satellite carrier to offer SV stations only 
to subscribers that received the carrier's ``local-into-local'' 
service.\31\ The Commission interpreted this provision to further 
require that the subscriber receive the specific local network station 
(as part of the carrier's ``local-into-local'' service) in order for 
that subscriber to also receive an SV station affiliated with the same 
network (called the receipt of the ``same network affiliate'' 
requirement).\32\ Second, the SHVERA allowed a satellite carrier to 
offer an SV digital station to a subscriber only if the carrier also 
provided to that subscriber the affiliated local network station in a 
format that used either (1) An ``equivalent'' amount of bandwidth for 
the local and SV network station pair, or (2) the ``entire'' bandwidth 
of the local station (called the ``equivalent or entire bandwidth'' 
requirement).\33\ The Commission interpreted this provision to require 
an objective comparison of each station's use of its bandwidth in terms 
of megabits per second (mbps) or bit rate.\34\
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    \31\ See id. at 340(b)(1) (analog service limitations) and 
(b)(2)(A) (digital service limitations) (2004). The Commission found 
that ``subscriber receipt of `local-into-local' service [was] 
unambiguously required by the statute.'' SHVERA Significantly Viewed 
Report and Order. The SHVERA provided for two exceptions to the 
local service limitations, contained in 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(3) and (4), 
respectively. Section 340(b)(3) allows satellite carriage of an SV 
network station to a subscriber when there is no local station 
affiliated with the same television network as the SV station 
present in the local market. Section 340(b)(4) allows a satellite 
carrier to privately negotiate with the local network station to 
obtain a waiver of the subscriber eligibility restrictions in 
Sections 340(b)(1) and 340(b)(2). While revising the eligibility 
limitations, the STELA retains these exceptions unchanged.
    \32\ The SHVERA's language differed with respect to the analog 
and digital service limitations. The Commission noted that, 
``[u]nlike the ambiguity in its sister analog provision [of 47 
U.S.C. 340(b)(1) (2004)], Section 340(b)(2)(A) of the Act, 47 U.S.C. 
340(b)(2)(A) (2004), is clear in requiring a subscriber to receive 
``the digital signal of a network station in the subscriber's local 
market that is affiliated with the same television network.'' Id.
    \33\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(2)(B) (2004). Congress sought to prevent 
satellite carriers from offering the local network station's digital 
signal ``in a less robust format'' than the significantly viewed 
affiliate station's digital signal). SHVERA Significantly Viewed 
Report and Order.
    \34\ See id.
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III. Discussion

    9. STELA simplifies the significantly viewed provisions in Section 
340(b) of the Communications Act to make it easier for satellite 
carriers to offer SV stations to subscribers.\35\ The STELA makes two 
key changes to the significantly viewed provisions in Section 340(b) to 
ease the limitations on satellite subscriber eligibility to receive SV 
stations.\36\ First, the STELA eliminates the equivalent or entire 
bandwidth requirement in Section 340(b)(2)(B).\37\ In its place, the 
STELA permits a satellite carrier to carry in high definition (HD) 
format an SV network station, provided the satellite carrier also 
carries in HD format the local station in the market that is affiliated 
with the same network whenever the local station is available in HD 
format.\38\ Second, the STELA strikes Section 340(b)(2)(A), the former 
digital service limitation which contained the ``same network 
affiliate'' limitation language, choosing, instead, to apply Section 
340(b)(1), the former analog service limitation which contained only 
the ``local-into-local'' service limitation language, to digital 
stations.\39\ Accordingly, we propose rules to implement the changes 
made to Section 340(b) of the Act and seek comment on them. Our 
discussion below addresses these two key changes to Section 340(b), and 
also considers the impact of these changes on the statutory exceptions 
to this section. We also propose some non-substantive, 
``housecleaning'' rule changes. We seek comment on our proposals and 
tentative conclusions set forth herein, and also invite comment on any 
other issues that may be relevant to our implementation of the STELA's 
amendments to the significantly viewed provisions.
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    \35\ See H.R. 3570 Report at 4-5.
    \36\ STELA sec. 203(a) (amendments to be codified at 47 U.S.C. 
340(b)(1) and (2)). We note that the subscriber eligibility 
limitations in 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(1) and (2), which are amended by the 
STELA sec. 203, do not apply to cable subscribers and that we do not 
propose to substantively amend our significantly viewed rules and 
procedures that satellite carriers share with cable operators. See 
47 CFR 76.54(a) through (d). Furthermore, we note that the STELA 
sec. 203 does not amend the ``significantly viewed'' provisions in 
the Communications Act governing the eligibility of a television 
broadcast station to qualify for ``significantly viewed'' status. 
See 47 U.S.C. 340(a), (c) through (g). Therefore, we do not propose 
here any substantive (non-``housecleaning'') changes to our rules 
and procedures implementing the significantly viewed station 
eligibility requirements. See 47 CFR 76.54(a) through (f), (j) and 
(k).
    \37\ The STELA sec. 203(a) removes the equivalent or entire 
bandwidth requirement in 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(2)(B) and the STELA sec. 
204(c) strikes the definition of equivalent or entire bandwidth in 
47 U.S.C. 340(i)(4).
    \38\ See 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(2) (2010), as amended by the STELA 
sec. 203(a).
    \39\ See Id. 340(b)(1) (2010), as amended by the STELA sec. 
203(a).
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A. Proposed Elimination of ``Equivalent or Entire Bandwidth'' 
Requirement

    10. In the 2004 SHVERA, Congress enacted the ``equivalent'' or 
``entire'' bandwidth requirements to prevent a satellite carrier from 
using technological means to discriminate against a local network 
station in favor of the SV network affiliate.\40\ The Commission 
codified these requirements in Sec.  76.54(h) of the rules, which 
tracks the language of the statute.\41\ In implementing this provision, 
the Commission strictly interpreted the statutory requirement for 
``equivalent bandwidth.'' As a result, satellite

[[Page 44202]]

carriers must ensure virtually minute-by-minute comparisons between the 
satellite bandwidth allocated to carriage of the local station and the 
SV stations, making carriage of SV stations so burdensome that they are 
rarely carried.\42\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \40\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(2)(B) (2004). The law reflects Congress' 
intent to prevent a satellite carrier from offering the local 
digital station ``in a less robust format'' than the SV digital 
station). SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order.
    \41\ 47 CFR 76.54(h) states: ``Signals of significantly viewed 
network stations that originate as digital signals may not be 
retransmitted to subscribers unless the satellite carrier 
retransmits the digital signal of the local network station, which 
is affiliated with the same television network as the network 
station whose signal is significantly viewed, in either (1) At least 
the equivalent bandwidth of the significantly viewed station or (2) 
the entire bandwidth of the digital signal broadcast by such local 
station.''
    \42\ In a House Energy and Commerce Committee Report, Congress 
noted that the ``equivalent bandwidth'' requirement ``has generally 
served to discourage satellite carriers from using Section 340 to 
provide significantly viewed signals to qualified households.'' See 
House Energy and Commerce Committee Report dated Dec. 12, 2009, 
accompanying House Bill, H.R. 2994, 111th Cong. (2009), H.R. Rep. 
No. 111-349, at 16 (``H.R. 2994 Report''). See also Testimony of Bob 
Gabrielli, Senior Vice President, Broadcasting Operations and 
Distribution, DIRECTV, Inc., before the U.S. House of 
Representatives Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the 
Internet, Hearing on Reauthorization of the of the Satellite Home 
Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act, at 9 (Feb. 24, 2009) 
(asserting that it is ``infeasible'' for DIRECTV to ``carry local 
stations in the same format as SV stations every moment of the 
day'').
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    11. STELA eliminates the ``equivalent or entire bandwidth'' 
requirement from the statute,\43\ changing the focus of the provision 
from ``equivalent bandwidth'' to ``HD format.'' The STELA amends 
Section 340(b)(2) of the Act to read as follows: \44\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \43\ We note that DIRECTV, Inc. (``DIRECTV'') and EchoStar 
Satellite LLC (``EchoStar'') filed a joint petition, which remains 
pending, seeking reconsideration of two decisions in the 2005 SHVERA 
Significantly Viewed Report and Order. The first decision challenged 
by the petition is the Commission's interpretation of the 
``equivalent bandwidth'' requirement. See DIRECTV and EchoStar Joint 
Petition for Reconsideration in MB Docket No. 05-49 (filed Jan. 26, 
2006) (``DIRECTV/EchoStar Joint Petition''). As a result of the 
STELA's elimination of this requirement, we believe the petition on 
this first issue is now moot. The second issue relates to the 
receipt of the local analog station affiliate requirement, which we 
also believe is moot. We expect to dismiss the petition soon after 
we issue final rules in this proceeding.
    \44\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(2) (2010), as amended by the STELA sec. 
203(a).

    Service Limitations.--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.

    12. In doing so, Congress intended to facilitate satellite carriage 
of SV stations, which Congress thought was thwarted by the Commission's 
implementation of the predecessor provision.\45\ The legislative 
history also indicates an intent by Congress to simplify the law and 
increase service to satellite consumers.\46\ Additionally, in 
reauthorizing the SHVERA and mostly retaining its framework for the 
carriage of SV stations, the STELA retains the key goals of its 
predecessor statute--those being to foster localism and promote parity 
between cable and satellite service.\47\ The principal concern of 
Congress was simply to clarify that a satellite carrier may provide an 
SV station in HD format when the local network affiliate is 
broadcasting only in Standard Definition (SD) format, as long as the 
carrier provides the local station in HD format whenever such format is 
available.\48\ Moreover, in moving the statutory copyright license into 
the ``local'' license, we believe Congress recognized the ``local'' 
nature of an SV station, and that carriage of an SV network station, in 
itself, promotes localism, as long as such station is not favored over 
the in-market (local) affiliate. Therefore, we tentatively conclude 
that, in revising the law, Congress intended for the Commission to 
create a workable framework that would generally provide for the 
satellite carriage of SV stations, while ensuring that the SV network 
station is not retransmitted in HD format unless the in-market 
affiliate is also retransmitted in HD format when so broadcast.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \45\ See H.R. 2994 Report at 16.
    \46\ See H.R. 3570 Report at 4-5. Congress wanted to clarify 
that a satellite carrier may provide an SV station in HD format, 
when the local network affiliate is broadcasting only in Standard 
Definition (SD) format, as long as the carrier provides the local 
station in HD format whenever such format is available. H.R. 2994 
Report at 16.
    \47\ See SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order.
    \48\ H.R. 2994 Report at 16. The Commission interpreted the 
``equivalent bandwidth'' requirement to include multicast signals. 
SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order. (concluding that ``if 
the SV station transmits in HD and the local station transmits 
multiplexed (multicast) signal, then a satellite carrier may carry 
the SV station's HD signal, provided it also carries as many of the 
local station's multicast channels as necessary to match the 
bandwidth provided to the SV station.''). However, the STELA's 
change to 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(2) appears to refocus the comparison of 
the local and SV network station pair on HD format.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    13. Accordingly, we propose to revise our rule in Sec.  76.54(h), 
which we now move to Sec.  76.54(g)(2), to eliminate the ``equivalent 
or entire bandwidth'' requirement and to provide that a satellite 
carrier may retransmit the HD signal of an SV station to a subscriber 
only if such carrier also retransmits the HD signal of the local 
station affiliated with the same network whenever that signal is 
available in HD format.\49\ Our proposed rule tracks the revised 
language in Section 340(b)(2).\50\ We also tentatively conclude that 
Section 340(b)(2), by its terms, only limits satellite carriage of an 
SV station with respect to HD format; it does not apply if the 
satellite carrier only carries the SV station in SD format.\51\ 
Finally, we note that the Advanced Television Systems Committee 
(``ATSC''), a non-profit organization that develops voluntary standards 
for digital television, including HDTV, defines ``high definition'' 
television as having a screen resolution of 720p, 1080i, or higher, and 
believe that no further definition of ``HD format'' is needed to 
implement the statute.\52\ We seek comment on our statutory 
interpretation, proposed rule and tentative conclusions. We also seek 
comment on whether satellite carriers will face any technical problems 
in order to comply with our proposed rule.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \49\ See Proposed rule 47 CFR 76.54(g)(2).
    \50\ Id.
    \51\ We propose including a sentence in our proposed rule to 
clarify this point. See Proposed rule 47 CFR 76.54(g)(2).
    \52\ See, e.g., Local Broadcast Signal Carriage First Report and 
Order, 66 FR 16533, March 26, 2001 (discussing several formats that 
are considered ``high definition''); Local Broadcast Signal Carriage 
Second Report and Order, 73 FR 24502, May 5, 2008. See also, e.g., 
Newton's Telecom Dictionary definition of HDTV at 389 (20th ed. 
2004) and the Commission's ``DTV Shopping Guide'' for consumers at 
http://www.dtv.gov/shopgde.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    14. Section 340(b)(2) permits retransmission of an SV network 
station in HD ``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.'' \53\ We seek comment on the 
significance of this requirement. What is required by this language in 
the event a satellite carrier wants to retransmit an SV network 
affiliate and there is an in-market (local) station that is 
multicasting in HD format and airing programming affiliated with the 
same network in HD on a secondary stream? Is the satellite carrier 
required to carry this secondary stream in HD in order to be permitted 
to retransmit the SV station in HD even if the in-market station's 
primary stream is affiliated with another network? We also seek 
information on the extent to which stations are broadcasting HD 
programming from two different networks, and whether this is 
sufficiently rare that it can be addressed on a case-by-case basis, 
rather than in a rule or order.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \53\ See 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(2) (2010), as amended by the STELA 
sec. 203(a).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

B. Proposed Elimination of Requirement To Receive Specific Local 
Affiliate of the Same Network

    15. We propose to amend our rules regarding subscriber eligibility 
to address STELA's change to Sections 340(b)(1) and 340(b)(2)(A) that 
eliminates the reference to receiving a

[[Page 44203]]

specific local station affiliated with the same network as the SV 
station.\54\ In the 2004 SHVERA, Congress authorized satellite carriers 
to offer SV stations to subscribers, but crafted Sections 340(b)(1) and 
340(b)(2)(A) of the Act to protect localism by requiring that these 
subscribers also receive the carrier's local service.\55\ These two 
provisions, however, contained different language. Whereas Section 
340(b)(1),\56\ the provision related to analog service, required only 
that the analog subscriber receive local service ``pursuant to Section 
338''--referring to the ``carry one, carry all'' carriage requirements 
that pertain to local stations,\57\ Section 340(b)(2)(A),\58\ the 
provision related to digital service, contained additional language 
that expressly required the digital subscriber to receive the local 
station that was specifically ``affiliated with the same television 
network'' as the SV station (hereinafter referred to as the ``same 
network affiliate'' language). Thus, while each of these provisions 
clearly required a subscriber to at least receive the satellite 
carrier's local-into-local service before that subscriber could receive 
an SV station, it was unclear whether Section 340(b)(1) also required 
an analog subscriber to receive the specific local network station 
before that subscriber could receive the SV station affiliated with the 
same network.\59\ For example, the statute did not address the 
situation where there is a local network station in the local market, 
but such station fails to request local carriage, refuses to grant 
retransmission consent, or is otherwise ineligible for local 
carriage.\60\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \54\ See 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(1) (2010), as amended by the STELA 
sec. 203(a).
    \55\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(1) and (b)(2)(A) (2004). Congress intended 
for these provisions to protect localism ``by helping ensure that 
the satellite operator cannot retransmit into a market a 
significantly viewed digital signal of a network broadcast station 
from a distant market without also retransmitting into the market a 
digital signal of any local affiliate from the same network.'' 
SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order.
    \56\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(1) (2004), as established in 2004, stated: 
``With respect to a signal that originates as an analog signal of a 
network station, this section shall apply only to retransmissions to 
subscribers of a satellite carrier who receive retransmissions of a 
signal that originates as an analog signal of a local network 
station from that satellite carrier pursuant to section 338.''
    \57\ 47 U.S.C. 338.
    \58\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(2)(A) (2004), as established in 2004, 
stated: ``With respect to a signal that originates as a digital 
signal of a network station, this section shall apply only if--(A) 
the subscriber receives from the satellite carrier pursuant to 
section 338 the retransmission of the digital signal of a network 
station in the subscriber's local market that is affiliated with the 
same television network * * *.''
    \59\ SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order.
    \60\ See id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    16. Ultimately, in the 2005 SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and 
Order, the Commission interpreted both Sections 340(b)(1) and 
340(b)(2)(A) to require that the subscriber receive the specific local 
station that is affiliated with the same network as the SV station.\61\ 
Although Section 340(b)(1) lacked the express ``same network 
affiliate'' language as contained in Section 340(b)(2)(A), the 
Commission read the two provisions together and interpreted Section 
340(b)(1) to also contain the ``same network affiliate'' requirement, 
based largely on the notion that Congress intended the two provisions 
to achieve similar ends.\62\ Accordingly, the Commission adopted Sec.  
76.54(g) of the rules, based on the ``same network affiliate'' language 
in Section 340(b)(2)(A).\63\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \61\ Id. This is the second decision challenged by the pending 
2006 DIRECTV/EchoStar Joint Petition. The petition challenged only 
the Commission's interpretation of the analog service limitation 
provision in 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(1), essentially conceding the meaning 
of the plain language in the digital provision in 47 U.S.C. 
340(b)(2)(A). With the end of analog full-power broadcasting (due to 
the completion of DTV transition), we believe this second issue in 
the petition is also moot, and we expect to dismiss the petition 
soon after we issue final rules in this proceeding.
    \62\ See SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order. We note 
that the Commission also stated that its interpretation of Section 
340(b)(1) was necessary to give meaning to the statutory exceptions 
in Sections 340(b)(3) and (4). As discussed in more detail later, we 
believe the statutory exceptions remain meaningful to, and are 
consistent with, our proposed interpretation of Section 340(b)(1) as 
amended by STELA.
    \63\ 47 CFR 76.54(g) states: ``(g) Signals of analog or digital 
significantly viewed television broadcast stations may not be 
retransmitted by satellite carriers to subscribers who do not 
receive local-into-local service, including a station affiliated 
with the same network as the significantly viewed station, pursuant 
to Sec.  76.66 of this chapter; except that a satellite carrier may 
retransmit a significantly viewed signal of a television broadcast 
station to a subscriber who receives local-into-local service but 
does not receive a local station affiliated with the same network as 
the significantly viewed station, if: (1) There is no station 
affiliated with the same television network as the station whose 
signal is significantly viewed; or (2) The station affiliated with 
the same television network as the station whose signal is 
significantly viewed has granted a waiver in accordance with 47 
U.S.C. 340(b)(4).''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    17. In the STELA, Congress strikes Section 340(b)(2)(A), which 
governed digital stations and included the ``same network affiliate'' 
language,\64\ and removes the references to analog in Section 340(b)(1) 
because of the completion of the DTV transition.\65\ Specifically, the 
STELA amends Section 340(b)(1) of the Act to read as follows: \66\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \64\ 47 U.S.C 340(b)(2)(A) (2004). The digital local service 
provision provided: ``With respect to a signal that originates as a 
digital signal of a network station, this section shall apply only 
if--(A) the subscriber receives from the satellite carrier pursuant 
to section 338 of this title the retransmission of the digital 
signal of a network station in the subscriber's local market that is 
affiliated with the same television network; and'' (B) the 
retransmission complies with either the (i) equivalent or (ii) 
entire bandwidth requirement. (Emphasis added.)
    \65\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(1) (2004). The analog local service 
provision provided: ``With respect to a signal that originates as an 
analog signal of a network station, this section shall apply only to 
retransmissions to subscribers of a satellite carrier who receive 
retransmissions of a signal that originates as an analog signal of a 
local network station from that satellite carrier pursuant to 
section 338 of this title.''
    \66\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(1) (2010), as amended by the STELA sec. 
203(a).

    Service Limited to Subscribers Taking Local-Into-Local 
Service.--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.

This provision, as amended, still contains the local-into-local service 
requirement,\67\ but no longer requires carriage of the local affiliate 
of the same network. We presume that Congress acted intentionally and 
purposely when it chose to discard the ``same network affiliate'' 
language in Section 340(b)(2)(A), which language the Commission had 
relied upon for its more restrictive interpretation of Section 
340(b)(1).\68\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \67\ The provision limits subscriber eligibility for SV stations 
to those subscribers that receive retransmissions from their 
satellite carrier pursuant to the ``carry one, carry all'' 
requirement in 47 U.S.C. 338.
    \68\ See, e.g., Moshe Gozlon-Peretz v. United States, 498 U.S. 
395, 404 (1990) (``[Where] Congress includes particular language in 
one section of a statute but omits it in another section of the same 
Act, it is generally presumed that Congress acts intentionally and 
purposely in the disparate inclusion or exclusion.'') (internal 
citations omitted); Russello v. United States, 464 U.S. 16, 23 
(1983) (same); Estate of Bell v. Commissioner, 928 F.2d 901, 904 
(9th Cir. 1991) (``Congress is presumed to act intentionally and 
purposely when it includes language in one section but omits it in 
another.''); Arizona Elec. Power Co-op. v. United States, 816 F.2d 
1366, 1375 (9th Cir. 1987) (``When Congress includes a specific term 
in one section of a statute but omits in another section of the same 
Act, it should not be implied where it is excluded.'').
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    18. Accordingly, we propose to revise our rule in Sec.  76.54(g) to 
reflect the amended statutory language in Section 340(b)(1).\69\ We 
tentatively conclude that, by striking Section 340(b)(2)(A), Congress 
intended to eliminate the requirement that a subscriber receive the 
specific local station that is affiliated with the same network as the 
SV station. Therefore, our proposed rule requires only that a 
subscriber receive the satellite carrier's local-into-local service as 
a pre-condition for the subscriber to receive SV stations. We

[[Page 44204]]

note that this interpretation would allow a satellite carrier to carry 
an SV station affiliated with a particular network if the local in-
market station affiliated with the same network does not grant 
retransmission consent. We seek comment on our proposed rule and 
tentative conclusions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \69\ See Proposed rule 47 CFR 76.54(g)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

C. Statutory Exceptions to the Subscriber Eligibility Limitations

    19. While revising the subscriber eligibility limitations in 
Sections 340(b)(1) and 340(b)(2), the STELA retains without change the 
statutory exceptions in Sections 340(b)(3) and 340(b)(4) to these 
restrictions.\70\ As noted above, the Section 340(b)(3) exception to 
the subscriber eligibility limitations permits a satellite carrier to 
offer an SV network station to a subscriber when there is no local 
network affiliate present in the local market.\71\ The Section 
340(b)(4) exception permits a satellite carrier to privately negotiate 
with the local network station to obtain a waiver of the eligibility 
restrictions.\72\ These two exceptions provide as follows:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \70\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(3) and (4). We note that the STELA sec. 
103 does amend the waiver provision in the corresponding satellite 
statutory copyright license in 17 U.S.C. 122(a)(2) to eliminate the 
``sunset'' provision and replace the term ``superstation'' with 
``non-network station.''
    \71\ Id. at 340(b)(3).
    \72\ Id. at 340(b)(4).

    (b)(3) 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.
    (b)(4) 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 (1) and (2) to 
such satellite carrier with respect to retransmission of the 
significantly viewed station to such subscriber.

We tentatively conclude that these statutory exceptions will continue 
to apply as they have before and are consistent with our proposed 
interpretations of the amended subscriber limitation provisions in 
Sections 340(b)(1)-(2). We believe the statutory exceptions in Sections 
340(b)(3)-(4) will continue to have meaning, and would not be 
superfluous, to our proposed interpretation of Section 340(b)(1).\73\ 
For example, the statutory exceptions in Sections 340(b)(3)-(4) would 
still apply where local-into-local service is not available to a 
subscriber for technical reasons (such as the spot beam does not cover 
the DMA or its reception is blocked for an individual subscriber by 
terrain or foliage) or if local-into-local service is not yet offered 
by the satellite carrier to a subscriber's market. We seek comment on 
our tentative conclusions. We also invite comment on whether 
application of these unchanged statutory exceptions to the amended 
subscriber limitation provisions raise any issues that may be relevant 
to our implementation of the Section 340(b) significantly viewed 
provisions as a whole.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \73\ See SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order. The 
Commission stated that if Section 340(b)(1) only required receipt of 
any local-into-local service as a prerequisite to receiving an SV 
network affiliate, as opposed to receiving the specific local 
affiliate of the same network as the SV station, then there would be 
no need for the statutory exceptions in Sections 340(b)(3) and (4) 
to apply to Section 340(b)(1). Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

D. Housecleaning Rule Changes

    20. In this section, we propose non-substantive changes to update 
our significantly viewed rules. We seek comment on these proposed rule 
changes.
    21. 47 CFR 76.5(i). We propose to amend Sec.  76.5(i) of the rules 
to replace its references to the term ``non-cable'' with the term 
``over-the-air.'' \74\ In the 2005 SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report 
and Order, the Commission made this change to Sec.  76.54 to reflect 
the rule's true meaning, that being to indicate over-the-air 
viewing.\75\ The Commission explained that, in the 1972 Order, the 
concept of significant viewing was adopted to apply to over-the-air 
households, which at the time essentially meant households without 
cable (i.e., non-cable households).\76\ Thus, amending Sec.  76.5(i) to 
change ``non-cable'' to ``over-the-air'' reflects the true intent of 
the rule as it was in 1976, and is more consistent with the statute's 
intent to establish parity between cable and satellite.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \74\ See Proposed rule change to 47 CFR 76.5(i).
    \75\ SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order.
    \76\ Id. (citing to Cable Television Report and Order).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    22. 47 CFR 76.54(c). We propose to amend Sec.  76.54(c) of the 
rules to strike the outdated reference to the analog Grade B 
contour.\77\ In the 2004 SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order, 
the Commission revised this rule to add the appropriate service contour 
relevant for a station's digital signal--that being the noise limited 
service contour (``NLSC'').\78\ With the completion of the transition, 
we now propose to eliminate this reference to Grade B contour.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \77\ See Proposed rule change to 47 CFR 76.54(c).
    \78\ SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order. (The digital 
NLSC is defined in 47 CFR 73.622(e).)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Conclusion

    23. In conclusion, in this NPRM, we propose to simplify our 
satellite TV significantly viewed rules, as mandated by Congress. To 
implement Section 203 of the STELA, we propose changes to Sec.  76.54 
of our rules. Our proposed rule changes--shown, below, in the Proposed 
Rule Changes section of this document--are modeled on the amended 
language in the statute. Specifically, we propose to eliminate both the 
``equivalent or entire bandwidth'' requirement and the requirement for 
a subscriber to receive the specific local affiliate of the SV station.

V. Procedural Matters

A. Initial Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis

    24. As required by the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, as 
amended (``RFA'') \79\ the Commission has prepared this present Initial 
Regulatory Flexibility Analysis (``IRFA'') concerning the possible 
significant economic impact on small entities by the policies and rules 
proposed in this NPRM. Written public comments are requested on this 
IRFA. Comments must be identified as responses to the IRFA and must be 
filed by the deadlines for comments provided in Section V.D. of the 
NPRM. The Commission will send a copy of the NPRM, including this IRFA, 
to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration 
(``SBA'').\80\ In addition, the NPRM and IRFA (or summaries thereof) 
will be published in the Federal Register.\81\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \79\ See 5 U.S.C. 603. The RFA, see 5 U.S.C. 601 et. seq., has 
been amended by the Contract With America Advancement Act of 1996, 
Pub. L. 104-121, 110 Stat. 847 (1996) (CWAAA). Title II of the CWAAA 
is the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 
(SBREFA).
    \80\ See 5 U.S.C. 603(a).
    \81\ See id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Need for, and Objectives of, the Proposed Rule Changes
    25. This document proposes changes to the Commission's satellite 
television ``significantly viewed'' rules to implement Section 203 of 
the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010 
(STELA).\82\ The STELA requires

[[Page 44205]]

the Commission to issue final rules in this proceeding on or before 
Wednesday, November 24, 2010.\83\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \82\ The Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010 
(STELA) sec. 203, Pub. L. 111-175, 124 Stat 1218, 1245 (2010) (sec. 
203 codified as amended at 47 U.S.C. 340, other STELA amendments 
codified in scattered sections of 17 and 47 U.S.C.).
    \83\ STELA sec. 203(b).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    26. Section 203 of the STELA amends Section 340 of the 
Communications Act, which gives satellite carriers the authority to 
offer out-of-market but ``significantly viewed'' broadcast television 
network stations as part of their local service to subscribers.\84\ The 
designation of ``significantly viewed'' status allows a station 
assigned to one DMA to be treated as a ``local'' station with respect 
to a particular cable or satellite community in another DMA, and, thus, 
enables cable or satellite carriage into said community in that other 
DMA. Whereas cable operators have had carriage rights for 
``significantly viewed'' (``SV'') stations since 1972, satellite 
carriers have had such authority only since the 2004 Satellite Home 
Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004 (SHVERA) and may only 
retransmit SV network stations to ``eligible'' satellite subscribers. 
The satellite subscriber eligibility rules impose conditions on when 
satellite carriers may retransmit SV stations to subscribers. These 
conditions are intended to prevent satellite carriers from favoring an 
SV network station over the in-market (local) station affiliated with 
the same network. We note that the nature of SV carriage under Section 
340 is permissive (and not mandatory), meaning the statute applies when 
a satellite carrier chooses to carry an SV station and has obtained 
retransmission consent from such SV station.\85\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \84\ 47 U.S.C. 340.
    \85\ Id. at 340(d).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    27. Section 203 of the STELA amends the SHVERA's Section 340(b) 
satellite subscriber eligibility rules in two ways. First, it 
eliminates the former requirement that satellite carriers devote 
``equivalent bandwidth'' to the carriage of the in-market (local) 
station as compared with the bandwidth devoted to carriage of the out-
of-market SV station.\86\ In its place, the STELA requires a satellite 
carrier to retransmit ``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.'' \87\ Second, STELA revises the subscriber eligibility 
requirements by eliminating the SHVERA requirement that the subscriber 
receive the local station affiliated with the same network as the SV 
station and requires only that the subscriber receive the local-into-
local package from the satellite carrier.\88\ The STELA does not amend 
the SHVERA's Section 340(a) station eligibility requirements, which 
govern the eligibility of a television broadcast station to qualify for 
``significantly viewed'' status.\89\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \86\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(2)(B) (2004).
    \87\ 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(2) (2010), as amended by the STELA sec. 
203(a).
    \88\ Id. at 340(b)(1) (2010), as amended by the STELA sec. 
203(a). In the NPRM, the Commission explains that ``a satellite 
carrier provides `local-into-local' service when it retransmits a 
local television signal back into the local market of that 
television station for reception by subscribers.''
    \89\ 47 U.S.C. 340(a). Accordingly, the NPRM does not propose 
any changes to such station eligibility requirements; see 47 CFR 
76.54(a) through (f), (j) and (k).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    28. To implement the STELA's two amendments to Section 340(b), the 
NPRM proposes the following changes to our satellite subscriber 
eligibility rules:
     The document proposes to eliminate the requirement that 
satellite carriers offer ``equivalent bandwidth'' to the local and SV 
network station pair, and to require instead carriage of the local 
network affiliate in high definition (HD) as a precondition to 
satellite carriage of the HD programming of an SV station affiliated 
with the same network.
     The document proposes to eliminate the requirement that a 
subscriber receive the specific local network station (as part of the 
satellite carrier's ``local-into-local'' service) in order for that 
subscriber to also receive an SV station affiliated with the same 
network and to require instead that the subscriber receive local-into-
local satellite service.

Finally, the document also seeks comment on the proposals and tentative 
conclusions set forth in the NPRM, and invites comment on any other 
issues that may be relevant to the Commission's implementation of the 
STELA's amendments to the significantly viewed provisions.
2. Legal Basis
    29. The proposed action is authorized pursuant to Section 203 of 
the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010, and 
Sections 1, 4(i) and (j), and 340 of the Communications Act, as 
amended, 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i) and (j), and 340.
3. Description and Estimate of the Number of Small Entities to Which 
the Proposed Rules Will Apply
    30. The RFA directs agencies to provide a description of and, where 
feasible, an estimate of the number of small entities that may be 
affected by the proposed rules, if adopted.\90\ The RFA generally 
defines the term ``small entity'' as having the same meaning as the 
terms ``small business,'' ``small organization,'' and ``small 
governmental jurisdiction.'' \91\ In addition, the term ``small 
business'' has the same meaning as the term ``small business concern'' 
under the Small Business Act.\92\ A small business concern is one 
which: (1) Is independently owned and operated; (2) is not dominant in 
its field of operation; and (3) satisfies any additional criteria 
established by the SBA.\93\ Below, we provide a description of such 
small entities, as well as an estimate of the number of such small 
entities, where feasible.
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    \90\ 5 U.S.C. 603(b)(3).
    \91\ 5 U.S.C. 601(6).
    \92\ 5 U.S.C. 601(3) (incorporating by reference the definition 
of ``small business concern'' in 15 U.S.C. 632). Pursuant to 5 
U.S.C. 601(3), the statutory definition of a small business applies 
``unless an agency, after consultation with the Office of Advocacy 
of the Small Business Administration and after opportunity for 
public comment, establishes one or more definitions of such term 
which are appropriate to the activities of the agency and publishes 
such definition(s) in the Federal Register.'' 5 U.S.C. 601(3).
    \93\ 15 U.S.C. 632. Application of the statutory criteria of 
dominance in its field of operation and independence are sometimes 
difficult to apply in the context of broadcast television. 
Accordingly, the Commission's statistical account of television 
stations may be over-inclusive.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    31. Satellite Carriers. The term ``satellite carrier'' means an 
entity that uses the facilities of a satellite or satellite service 
licensed under Part 25 of the Commission's rules to operate in the 
Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) service or Fixed-Satellite Service 
(FSS) frequencies.\94\ As a general practice (not mandated by any 
regulation), DBS licensees usually own and operate their own satellite 
facilities as well as package the programming they offer to their 
subscribers. In contrast, satellite carriers using FSS facilities often 
lease capacity from another entity that is licensed to operate the 
satellite used to provide service to subscribers. These entities 
package their own programming and may or may not be Commission 
licensees themselves. In addition, a third situation may include an 
entity using a non-U.S. licensed satellite to provide programming to 
subscribers in the United States pursuant to a blanket

[[Page 44206]]

earth station license.\95\ In the SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report 
and Order, the Commission concluded that the definition of ``satellite 
carrier'' includes all three of these types of entities.\96\
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    \94\ The Communications Act defines the term ``satellite 
carrier'' by reference to the definition in the copyright laws in 
title 17. See 47 U.S.C. 340(i)(1) and 338(k)(3); 17 U.S.C. 
119(d)(6). Part 100 of the Commission's rules was eliminated in 2002 
and now both FSS and DBS satellite facilities are licensed under 
Part 25 of the rules. Policies and Rules for the Direct Broadcast 
Satellite Service, 67 FR 51110, August 7, 2002; 47 CFR 25.148.
    \95\ See, e.g., DIRECTV 5 Blanket Earth Station License, DA 04-
2526, August 12, 2004.
    \96\ SHVERA Significantly Viewed Report and Order.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    32. Direct Broadcast Satellite (``DBS'') Service. DBS service is a 
nationally distributed subscription service that delivers video and 
audio programming via satellite to a small parabolic ``dish'' antenna 
at the subscriber's location. DBS, by exception, is now included in the 
SBA's broad economic census category, ``Wired Telecommunications 
Carriers,'' \97\ which was developed for small wireline firms. Under 
this category, the SBA deems a wireline business to be small if it has 
1,500 or fewer employees.\98\ However, the data we have available as a 
basis for estimating the number of such small entities were gathered 
under a superseded SBA small business size standard formerly titled 
``Cable and Other Program Distribution.'' The definition of Cable and 
Other Program Distribution provided that a small entity is one with 
$12.5 million or less in annual receipts.\99\ Currently, only two 
entities provide DBS service, which requires a great investment of 
capital for operation: DIRECTV and EchoStar Communications Corporation 
(``EchoStar'') (marketed as the DISH Network).\100\ Each currently 
offer subscription services. DIRECTV \101\ and EchoStar \102\ each 
report annual revenues that are in excess of the threshold for a small 
business. Because DBS service requires significant capital, we believe 
it is unlikely that a small entity as defined by the SBA would have the 
financial wherewithal to become a DBS service provider. We seek 
comments that have data on the annual revenues and number of employees 
of DBS service providers.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \97\ See 13 CFR 121.201, NAICS code 517110 (2007). The 2007 
North American Industry Classification System (``NAICS'') defines 
the category of ``Wired Telecommunications Carriers'' as follows: 
``This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in 
operating and/or providing access to transmission facilities and 
infrastructure that they own and/or lease for the transmission of 
voice, data, text, sound, and video using wired telecommunications 
networks. Transmission facilities may be based on a single 
technology or a combination of technologies. Establishments in this 
industry use the wired telecommunications network facilities that 
they operate to provide a variety of services, such as wired 
telephony services, including VoIP services; wired (cable) audio and 
video programming distribution; and wired broadband Internet 
services. By exception, establishments providing satellite 
television distribution services using facilities and infrastructure 
that they operate are included in this industry.'' (Emphasis added 
to text relevant to satellite services.) U.S. Census Bureau, 2007 
NAICS Definitions, ``517110 Wired Telecommunications Carriers''; 
http://www.census.gov/naics/2007/def/ND517110.HTM.
    \98\ 13 CFR 121.201, NAICS code 517110 (2007).
    \99\ 13 CFR 121.201, NAICS code 517510 (2002).
    \100\ See Thirteenth Annual Cable/MVPD Competition Report, 74 FR 
11102, March 16, 2009. We note that, in 2007, EchoStar purchased the 
licenses of Dominion Video Satellite, Inc. (``Dominion'') (marketed 
as Sky Angel). See Public Notice, ``Policy Branch Information; 
Actions Taken,'' Report No. SAT-00474, DA 07-4164 (IB rel. Oct. 5, 
2007).
    \101\ As of June 2006, DIRECTV is the largest DBS operator and 
the second largest MVPD, serving an estimated 16.20% of MVPD 
subscribers nationwide. See Thirteenth Annual Cable/MVPD Competition 
Report.
    \102\ As of June 2006, DISH Network is the second largest DBS 
operator and the third largest MVPD, serving an estimated 13.01% of 
MVPD subscribers nationwide. Id. As of June 2006, Dominion served 
fewer than 500,000 subscribers, which may now be receiving ``Sky 
Angel'' service from DISH Network. See id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    33. Fixed-Satellite Service (``FSS''). The FSS is a 
radiocommunication service between earth stations at a specified fixed 
point or between any fixed point within specified areas and one or more 
satellites.\103\ The FSS, which utilizes many earth stations that 
communicate with one or more space stations, may be used to provide 
subscription video service. FSS, by exception, is now included in the 
SBA's broad economic census category, ``Wired Telecommunications 
Carriers,'' \104\ which was developed for small wireline firms. Under 
this category, the SBA deems a wireline business to be small if it has 
1,500 or fewer employees.\105\ However, the data we have available as a 
basis for estimating the number of such small entities were gathered 
under a superseded SBA small business size standard formerly titled 
``Cable and Other Program Distribution.'' The definition of Cable and 
Other Program Distribution provided that a small entity is one with 
$12.5 million or less in annual receipts.\106\ Although a number of 
entities are licensed in the FSS, not all such licensees use FSS 
frequencies to provide subscription services. The two DBS licensees 
(EchoStar and DirecTV) have indicated interest in using FSS frequencies 
to broadcast signals to subscribers. It is possible that other entities 
could similarly use FSS frequencies, although we are not aware of any 
entities that might do so.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \103\ See 47 CFR 2.1(c).
    \104\ See 13 CFR 121.201, NAICS code 517110 (2007).
    \105\ Id.
    \106\ 13 CFR 121.201, NAICS code 517510 (2002).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    34. Television Broadcasting. The SBA defines a television 
broadcasting station as a small business if such station has no more 
than $14.0 million in annual receipts.\107\ Business concerns included 
in this industry are those ``primarily engaged in broadcasting images 
together with sound.'' \108\ The Commission has estimated the number of 
licensed commercial television stations to be 1,392.\109\ According to 
Commission staff review of the BIA/Kelsey, MAPro Television Database 
(``BIA'') as of April 7, 2010, about 1,015 of an estimated 1,380 
commercial television stations \110\ (or about 74 percent) have 
revenues of $14 million or less and, thus, qualify as small entities 
under the SBA definition. The Commission has estimated the number of 
licensed noncommercial educational (NCE) television stations to be 
390.\111\ We note, however, that, in assessing whether a business 
concern qualifies as small under the above definition, business 
(control) affiliations \112\ must be included. Our estimate, therefore, 
likely overstates the number of small entities that might be affected 
by our action, because the revenue figure on which it is based does not 
include or aggregate revenues from affiliated companies. The Commission 
does not compile and otherwise does not have access to information on 
the revenue of NCE stations that would permit it to determine how many 
such stations would qualify as small entities.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \107\  See 13 CFR 121.201, NAICS Code 515120 (2007).
    \108\ Id. This category description continues, ``These 
establishments operate television broadcasting studios and 
facilities for the programming and transmission of programs to the 
public. These establishments also produce or transmit visual 
programming to affiliated broadcast television stations, which in 
turn broadcast the programs to the public on a predetermined 
schedule. Programming may originate in their own studios, from an 
affiliated network, or from external sources.'' Separate census 
categories pertain to businesses primarily engaged in producing 
programming. See Motion Picture and Video Production, NAICS code 
512110; Motion Picture and Video Distribution, NAICS Code 512120; 
Teleproduction and Other Post-Production Services, NAICS Code 
512191; and Other Motion Picture and Video Industries, NAICS Code 
512199.
    \109\ See News Release, ``Broadcast Station Totals as of 
December 31, 2009,'' 2010 WL 676084 (F.C.C.) (dated Feb. 26, 2010) 
(``Broadcast Station Totals''); also available at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-296538A1.pdf.
    \110\ We recognize that this total differs slightly from that 
contained in Broadcast Station Totals; however, we are using BIA's 
estimate for purposes of this revenue comparison.
    \111\ See Broadcast Station Totals.
    \112\ ``[Business concerns] are affiliates of each other when 
one concern controls or has the power to control the other or a 
third party or parties controls or has to power to control both.'' 
13 CFR 121.103(a)(1).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    35. In addition, an element of the definition of ``small business'' 
is that the entity not be dominant in its field of operation. We are 
unable at this time to define or quantify the criteria that would 
establish whether a specific

[[Page 44207]]

television station is dominant in its field of operation. Accordingly, 
the estimate of small businesses to which rules may apply do not 
exclude any television station from the definition of a small business 
on this basis and are therefore over-inclusive to that extent. Also, as 
noted, an additional element of the definition of ``small business'' is 
that the entity must be independently owned and operated. We note that 
it is difficult at times to assess these criteria in the context of 
media entities and our estimates of small businesses to which they 
apply may be over-inclusive to this extent.
    36. Satellite Master Antenna Television (SMATV) Systems, also known 
as Private Cable Operators (PCOs). SMATV systems or PCOs are video 
distribution facilities that use closed transmission paths without 
using any public right-of-way. They acquire video programming and 
distribute it via terrestrial wiring in urban and suburban multiple 
dwelling units such as apartments and condominiums, and commercial 
multiple tenant units such as hotels and office buildings. SMATV 
systems or PCOs are now included in the SBA's broad economic census 
category, ``Wired Telecommunications Carriers,'' \113\ which was 
developed for small wireline firms.\114\ Under this category, the SBA 
deems a wireline business to be small if it has 1,500 or fewer 
employees.\115\ However, the data we have available as a basis for 
estimating the number of such small entities were gathered under a 
superseded SBA small business size standard formerly titled ``Cable and 
Other Program Distribution.'' The definition of Cable and Other Program 
Distribution provided that a small entity is one with $12.5 million or 
less in annual receipts.\116\ As of June 2004, there were approximately 
135 members in the Independent Multi-Family Communications Council 
(IMCC), the trade association that represents PCOs.\117\ The IMCC 
indicates that, as of June 2006, PCOs serve about 1 to 2 percent of the 
multichannel video programming distributors (MVPD) marketplace.\118\ 
Individual PCOs often serve approximately 3,000-4,000 subscribers, but 
the larger operations serve as many as 15,000-55,000 subscribers. In 
total, as of June 2006, PCOs serve approximately 900,000 
subscribers.\119\ Because these operators are not rate regulated, they 
are not required to file financial data with the Commission. 
Furthermore, we are not aware of any privately published financial 
information regarding these operators. Based on the estimated number of 
operators and the estimated number of units served by the largest 10 
PCOs, we believe that a substantial number of PCOs may have been 
categorized as small entities under the now superseded SBA small 
business size standard for Cable and Other Program Distribution.\120\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \113\ See 13 CFR 121.201, NAICS code 517110 (2007).
    \114\ Although SMATV systems often use DBS video programming as 
part of their service package to subscribers, they are not included 
in Section 340's definition of ``satellite carrier.'' See 47 U.S.C. 
340(i)(1) and 338(k)(3); 17 U.S.C.119(d)(6).
    \115\ 13 CFR 121.201, NAICS code 517110 (2007).
    \116\ 13 CFR 121.201, NAICS code 517510 (2002).
    \117\ See Eleventh Annual Cable/MVPD Competition Report, FCC 05-
13 (rel. Feb. 4, 2005).
    \118\ See Thirteenth Annual Cable/MVPD Competition Report.
    \119\ Id.
    \120\ 13 CFR 121.201, NAICS code 517510 (2002).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. Description of Projected Reporting, Recordkeeping, and Other 
Compliance Requirements
    37. The NPRM's proposed rules do not impose any new reporting, 
recordkeeping or other compliance requirements.
5. Steps Taken to Minimize Significant Economic Impact on Small 
Entities, and Significant Alternatives Considered
    38. The RFA requires an agency to describe any significant 
alternatives that it has considered in reaching its proposed approach, 
which may include the following four alternatives (among others): (1) 
The establishment of differing compliance or reporting requirements or 
timetables that take into account the resources available to small 
entities; (2) the clarification, consolidation, or simplification of 
compliance or reporting requirements under the rule for small entities; 
(3) the use of performance, rather than design, standards; and (4) an 
exemption from coverage of the rule, or any part thereof, for small 
entities.\121\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \121\ 5 U.S.C. 603(c)(1) through (4).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    39. We invite comment on whether there are any alternatives we 
should consider to our proposed implementation of the statutory 
amendments to Section 340(b) that would minimize any adverse impact on 
small businesses, but which are consistent with the statute and its 
goals and also maintain the benefits of our proposals. As discussed in 
the NPRM, STELA's amendments to Section 340(b) intend to facilitate 
satellite carriage of SV stations, with the expectation that this will 
increase satellite TV service to consumers and promote regulatory 
parity between cable and satellite service.\122\ We believe our 
proposed rule changes implement the statute in the way that is most 
consistent with the plain language of the statute.\123\ We also note 
that the plain language of the statute does not appear to give us 
discretion to treat small entities differently from larger ones, but 
seek comment on this question.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \122\ See H.R. 3570 Report at 4-5; H.R. 2994 Report at 16. In 
the NPRM, we stated that, in revising the law, Congress intended for 
the Commission to create a framework that would generally provide 
for the satellite carriage of SV stations.
    \123\ Our proposed rules are based on, and largely track, the 
amended language of the statute.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    40. As was the intent of Congress, we believe our proposed rules 
will benefit satellite carriers and the SV stations which they would 
carry,\124\ as well as consumers of satellite TV service.\125\ We 
believe that adverse impact to these entities is unlikely because SV 
carriage under Section 340 is permissive (and not mandatory); that is, 
the satellite carrier chooses to carry an SV station and the SV station 
must grant its consent to be carried.\126\ We do not have data to 
measure whether small TV stations on the whole, including in-market 
network affiliates, are more or less likely to benefit from satellite 
carriage of SV stations, so we invite small stations to comment on this 
issue.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \124\ For example, small broadcast stations will benefit from 
the opportunity to be delivered as an SV station to more viewers.
    \125\ See H.R. 3570 Report at 4-5.
    \126\ See 47 U.S.C. 340(d).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

6. Federal Rules That May Duplicate, Overlap, or Conflict With the 
Proposed Rule
    41. None.

B. Initial Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 Analysis

    42. This NPRM has been analyzed with respect to the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995 (``PRA''),\127\ and does not propose any new or 
modified information collection requirements.\128\ In addition, 
therefore, it does not contain any new or modified ``information 
collection burden for small business concerns with fewer than 25 
employees,'' pursuant to the Small

[[Page 44208]]

Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002.\129\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \127\ The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (``PRA''), Pub. L. 
104-13, 109 Stat 163 (1995) (codified in Chapter 35 of title 44 
U.S.C.).
    \128\ The Commission does not propose to modify the existing 
information collections that relate to the Commission's 
significantly viewed rules and procedures: OMB Control Nos. 3060-
0311 (47 CFR 76.54), 3060-0960 (47 CFR 76.122, 76.123, 76.124, 
76.127), and 3060-0888 (47 CFR 76.7). The Commission will continue 
to maintain these collections and seek extensions at the appropriate 
time.
    \129\ The Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002 
(``SBPRA''), Pub. L. 107-198, 116 Stat 729 (2002) (codified in 
Chapter 35 of title 44 U.S.C.); see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

C. Ex Parte Rules

    43. Permit-But-Disclose. This proceeding will be treated as a 
``permit-but-disclose'' proceeding subject to the ``permit-but-
disclose'' requirements under section 1.1206(b) of the Commission's 
rules.\130\ Ex parte presentations are permissible if disclosed in 
accordance with Commission rules, except during the Sunshine Agenda 
period when presentations, ex parte or otherwise, are generally 
prohibited. Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded 
that a memorandum summarizing a presentation must contain a summary of 
the substance of the presentation and not merely a listing of the 
subjects discussed. More than a one- or two-sentence description of the 
views and arguments presented is generally required.\131\ Additional 
rules pertaining to oral and written presentations are set forth in 
section 1.1206(b).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \130\ See 47 CFR 1.1206(b); see also id. 1.1202, 1.1203.
    \131\ See id. 1.1206(b)(2).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

D. Filing Requirements

    44. Comments and Replies. Pursuant to Sections 1.415 and 1.419 of 
the Commission's rules,\132\ interested parties may file comments and 
reply comments on or before the dates indicated on the first page of 
this document. Comments may be filed using: (1) The Commission's 
Electronic Comment Filing System (``ECFS''), (2) the Federal 
Government's eRulemaking Portal, or (3) by filing paper copies.\133\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \132\ See id. 1.415, 1419.
    \133\ See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking 
Proceedings, Report and Order, 63 FR 24121, May 1, 1998.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

     Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/ 
or the Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must 
file an original and four copies of each filing. If more than one 
docket or rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, 
filers must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or 
rulemaking number.
    Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial 
overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service 
mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, 
Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
    [cir] All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for 
the Commission's Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 
12th St., SW., Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. All hand deliveries 
must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes 
must be disposed of before entering the building. The filing hours are 
8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
    [cir] Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton 
Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743.
    [cir] U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail 
must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW., Washington DC 20554.
    45. Availability of Documents. Comments, reply comments, and ex 
parte submissions will be available for public inspection during 
regular business hours in the FCC Reference Center, Federal 
Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., CY-A257, Washington, 
DC, 20554. These documents will also be available via ECFS. Documents 
will be available electronically in ASCII, Microsoft Word, and/or Adobe 
Acrobat.
    46. Accessibility Information. To request information in accessible 
formats (computer diskettes, large print, audio recording, and 
Braille), send an e-mail to [email protected] or call the FCC's Consumer 
and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-
0432 (TTY). This document can also be downloaded in Word and Portable 
Document Format (PDF) at: http://www.fcc.gov.
    47. Additional Information. For additional information on this 
proceeding, contact Evan Baranoff, [email protected], of the Media 
Bureau, Policy Division, (202) 418-2120.

VI. Ordering Clauses

    48. Accordingly, it is ordered that pursuant to Section 203 of the 
Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010, and Sections 
1, 4(i) and (j), and 340 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 
47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i) and (j), and 340, notice is hereby given of the 
proposals and tentative conclusions described in this Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking.
    49. It is further ordered that the Reference Information Center, 
Consumer Information Bureau, shall send a copy of this Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking, including the Initial Regulatory Flexibility 
Analysis, to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 76

    Satellite television.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.

Proposed Rule Changes

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the FCC proposes to 
amend 47 CFR part 76 as follows:

PART 76--MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE.

    1. The authority citation for part 76 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 153, 154, 301, 302, 302a, 303, 
303a, 307, 308, 309, 312, 315, 317, 325, 339, 340, 341, 503, 521, 
522, 531, 532, 534, 535, 536, 537, 543, 544, 544a, 545, 548, 549, 
552, 554, 556, 558, 560, 561, 571, 572, 573.

    2. Amend Sec.  76.5(i) by removing the words ``other than cable 
television'' and adding in their place the words ``over-the-air'' and 
in the Note following paragraph (i) remove the word ``noncable'' each 
place it appears and add in its place the words ``over-the-air''.
    3. Amend Sec.  76.54 by revising the first sentence in paragraph 
(c), revising paragraph (g) and by removing and reserving paragraph (h) 
to read as follows:


Sec.  76.54  Significantly viewed signals; method to be followed for 
special showings.

* * * * *
    (c) Notice of a survey to be made pursuant to paragraph (b) of this 
section shall be served on all licensees or permittees of television 
broadcast stations within whose predicted noise limited service 
contour, as defined in Sec.  73.622(e) of this chapter, the cable or 
satellite community or communities are located, in whole or in part, 
and on all other system community units, franchisees, and franchise 
applicants in the cable community or communities at least (30) days 
prior to the initial survey period. * * *
* * * * *
    (g) Limitations on satellite subscriber eligibility. A satellite 
carrier may retransmit a significantly viewed network station to a 
subscriber, provided the subscriber satisfies the conditions in 
paragraphs (g)(1) and (g)(2) of this section or qualifies for one of 
the two exceptions to these conditions provided in paragraphs (g)(3) 
and (g)(4) of this section.
    (1) Receipt of local-into-local service. A satellite carrier may 
retransmit to a

[[Page 44209]]

subscriber the signal of a significantly viewed station only if that 
subscriber receives local-into-local service, pursuant to Sec.  76.66.
    (2) Receipt in HD format. A satellite carrier may retransmit to a 
subscriber in high definition (HD) format the signal of a significantly 
viewed station only if such carrier also retransmits in HD 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. This condition does not apply to, nor prohibit, the 
retransmission to a subscriber of a significantly viewed station in 
standard definition (SD) format.
    (3) Exception if no network affiliate in local market. The 
limitations in paragraphs (g)(1) and (g)(2) of this section will not 
prohibit a satellite carrier from retransmitting a significantly viewed 
network station to a subscriber located in a local market in which 
there are no network stations affiliated with the same television 
network as the significantly viewed station.
    (4) Exception if waiver granted by local station. The limitations 
in paragraphs (g)(1) and (g)(2) of this section will not apply if, and 
to the extent that, the local network station affiliated with the same 
television network as the significantly viewed station has granted a 
waiver in accordance with 47 U.S.C. 340(b)(4).
* * * * *
[FR Doc. 2010-18538 Filed 7-27-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P