47 U.S.C. § 521 - Purposes

• Cite as: 47 U.S.C. § 521

The purposes of this subchapter are to-

(1) establish a national policy concerning cable communications;

(2) establish franchise procedures and standards which encourage the growth and development of cable systems and which assure that cable systems are responsive to the needs and interests of the local community;

(3) establish guidelines for the exercise of Federal, State, and local authority with respect to the regulation of cable systems;

(4) assure that cable communications provide and are encouraged to provide the widest possible diversity of information sources and services to the public;

(5) establish an orderly process for franchise renewal which protects cable operators against unfair denials of renewal where the operator's past performance and proposal for future performance meet the standards established by this subchapter; and

(6) promote competition in cable communications and minimize unnecessary regulation that would impose an undue economic burden on cable systems.

Cite as 47 U.S.C. § 521

Source: June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title VI, §601, as added Pub. L. 98-549, §2, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2780.

Notes from the Office of Law Revision Counsel

current through 11/18/2021

STATUTORY NOTES AND RELATED SUBSIDIARIES

EFFECTIVE DATE

Pub. L. 98-549, §9(a), Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 2806, provided that: "Except where otherwise expressly provided, the provisions of this Act [enacting this subchapter and section 611 of this title, amending sections 152, 224, 309, and 605 of this title, section 2511 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and section 1805 of Title 50, War and National Defense, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 543, 605, and 609 of this title] and the amendments made thereby shall take effect 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 30, 1984]."

SHORT TITLE

For short title of Pub. L. 98-549 [enacting this subchapter] as the "Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984", see section 1(a) of Pub. L. 98-549 set out as a Short Title of 1984 Amendment note under section 609 of this title.

CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND POLICY FOR PUB. L. 102-385

Pub. L. 102-385, §2(a), (b), Oct. 5, 1992, 106 Stat. 1460, 1463, provided that:

"(a) FINDINGS.-The Congress finds and declares the following:

"(1) Pursuant to the Cable Communications Policy Act of 1984 [ Pub. L. 98-549 enacting this subchapter and section 611 of this title, amending sections 152, 224, 309, and 605 of this title, section 2511 of Title 18, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, and section 1805 of Title 50, War and National Defense, and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section and sections 543, 605, and 609 of this title], rates for cable television services have been deregulated in approximately 97 percent of all franchises since December 29, 1986. Since rate deregulation, monthly rates for the lowest priced basic cable service have increased by 40 percent or more for 28 percent of cable television subscribers. Although the average number of basic channels has increased from about 24 to 30, average monthly rates have increased by 29 percent during the same period. The average monthly cable rate has increased almost 3 times as much as the Consumer Price Index since rate deregulation.