47 U.S.C. § 339 Carriage of Distant Television Stations By Satellite Carriers

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-34 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/26/2023), except for [P. L. 118-31]
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 47 U.S.C. § 339

(a) Provisions relating to carriage of distant signals

(1) Carriage permitted

(A) In general

Subject to section 119 of title 17, any satellite carrier shall be permitted to provide the signals of no more than two network stations in a single day for each television network to any household not located within the local markets of those network stations.

(B) Additional service

In addition to signals provided under subparagraph (A), any satellite carrier may also provide service under the statutory license of section 122 of title 17, to the local market within which such household is located. The service provided under section 122 of such title may be in addition to the two signals provided under section 119 of such title.

(2) Replacement of distant signals with local signals

Notwithstanding any other provision of paragraph (1), the following rules shall apply after December 8, 2004:

(A) Rules for grandfathered subscribers

(i) For those receiving distant signals

In the case of a subscriber of a satellite carrier who is eligible to receive the signal of a network station solely by reason of section 119(e) ¹ of title 17 (in this subparagraph referred to as a "distant signal"), and who, as of October 1, 2009, is receiving the distant signal of that network station, the following shall apply:

(I) In a case in which the satellite carrier makes available to the subscriber the signal of a local network station affiliated with the same television network pursuant to section 338 of this title, the carrier may only provide the secondary transmissions of the distant signal of a station affiliated with the same network to that subscriber-

(aa) if, within 60 days after receiving the notice of the satellite carrier under section 338(h)(1) of this title, the subscriber elects to retain the distant signal; but

(bb) only until such time as the subscriber elects to receive such local signal.

(II) Notwithstanding subclause (I), the carrier may not retransmit the distant signal to any subscriber who is eligible to receive the signal of a network station solely by reason of section 119(e) ¹ of title 17, unless such carrier, within 60 days after December 8, 2004, submits to that television network the list and statement required by subparagraph (F)(i).

(ii) For those not receiving distant signals

In the case of any subscriber of a satellite carrier who is eligible to receive the distant signal of a network station solely by reason of section 119(e) ¹ of title 17 and who did not receive a distant signal of a station affiliated with the same network on October 1, 2009, the carrier may not provide the secondary transmissions of the distant signal of a station affiliated with the same network to that subscriber.

(B) Rules for other subscribers

(i) In general

In the case of a subscriber of a satellite carrier who is eligible to receive the signal of a network station under this section (in this subparagraph referred to as a "distant signal"), other than subscribers to whom subparagraph (A) applies, the following shall apply:

(I) In a case in which the satellite carrier makes available to that subscriber, on January 1, 2005, the signal of a local network station affiliated with the same television network pursuant to section 338 of this title, the carrier may only provide the secondary transmissions of the distant signal of a station affiliated with the same network to that subscriber if the subscriber's satellite carrier, not later than March 1, 2005, submits to that television network the list and statement required by subparagraph (F)(i).

(II) In a case in which the satellite carrier does not make available to that subscriber, on January 1, 2005, the signal of a local network station pursuant to section 338 of this title, the carrier may only provide the secondary transmissions of the distant signal of a station affiliated with the same network to that subscriber if-

(aa) that subscriber seeks to subscribe to such distant signal before the date on which such carrier commences to carry pursuant to section 338 of this title the signals of stations from the local market of such local network station; and

(bb) the satellite carrier, within 60 days after such date, submits to each television network the list and statement required by subparagraph (F)(ii).

(ii) Special circumstances

A subscriber of a satellite carrier who was lawfully receiving the distant signal of a network station on the day before the date of enactment of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010 may receive both such distant signal and the local signal of a network station affiliated with the same network until such subscriber chooses to no longer receive such distant signal from such carrier, whether or not such subscriber elects to subscribe to such local signal.

(C) Future applicability

A satellite carrier may not provide a distant signal (within the meaning of subparagraph (A) or (B)) to a person who-

(i) is not a subscriber lawfully receiving such secondary transmission as of the date of the enactment of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010 and, at the time such person seeks to subscribe to receive such secondary transmission, resides in a local market where the satellite carrier makes available to that person the signal of a local network station affiliated with the same television network pursuant to section 338 of this title (and the retransmission of such signal by such carrier can reach such subscriber); or

(ii) lawfully subscribes to and receives a distant signal on or after the date of enactment of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010, and, subsequent to such subscription, the satellite carrier makes available to that subscriber the signal of a local network station affiliated with the same network as the distant signal (and the retransmission of such signal by such carrier can reach such subscriber), unless such person subscribes to the signal of the local network station within 60 days after such signal is made available.

(D) Special rules for distant signals

(i) Eligibility and signal testing

A subscriber of a satellite carrier shall be eligible to receive a distant signal of a network station affiliated with the same network under this section if, with respect to a local network station, such subscriber-