[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 47, Volume 4]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 47CFR76.120]



[Page 591-592]

 

                       TITLE 47--TELECOMMUNICATION

 

                    CHAPTER I--FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS

                         COMMISSION (CONTINUED)

 

PART 76_MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE--Table of Contents

 

Subpart F_Network Non-duplication Protection, Syndicated Exclusivity and 

                             Sports Blackout

 

Sec. 76.120  Network non-duplication protection, syndicated exclusivity 

and sports blackout rules for satellite carriers: Definitions.



    For purposes of Sec. Sec. 76.122-76.130, the following definitions 

apply:

    (a) Satellite carrier. The term ``satellite carrier'' means an 

entity that uses the facilities of a satellite or satellite service 

licensed by the Federal Communications Commission and operates in the 

Fixed-Satellite Service under part 25 of title 47 of the Code of Federal 

Regulations or the Direct Broadcast Satellite Service under part 100 of 

title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations, to establish and operate a 

channel of communications for point-to-multipoint distribution of 

television station signals, and that owns or leases a capacity or 

service on a satellite in order to provide such point-to-multipoint 

distribution, except to the extent that such entity provides such 

distribution pursuant to tariff under the Communications Act of 1934, 

other than for private home viewing.

    (b) Nationally distributed superstation. The term ``nationally 

distributed superstation'' means a television broadcast station, 

licensed by the Commission, that--

    (1) Is not owned or operated by or affiliated with a television 

network that, as of January 1, 1995, offered interconnected program 

service on a regular basis for 15 or more hours per week to at least 25 

affiliated television licensees in 10 or more States;

    (2) On May 1, 1991, was retransmitted by a satellite carrier and was 

not a network station at that time; and

    (3) Was, as of July 1, 1998, retransmitted by a satellite carrier 

under the statutory license of Section 119 of title 17, United States 

Code.

    (c) Television network. The term ``television network'' means a 

television network in the United States which offers an interconnected 

program service on a regular basis for 15 or more hours per week to at 

least 25 affiliated broadcast stations in 10 or more States.



[[Page 592]]



    (d) Network station. The term ``network station'' means--

    (1) A television broadcast station, including any translator station 

or terrestrial satellite station that rebroadcasts all or substantially 

all of the programming broadcast by a network station, that is owned or 

operated by, or affiliated with, one or more of the television networks 

in the United States which offer an interconnected program service on a 

regular basis for 15 or more hours per week to at least 25 of its 

affiliated television licensees in 10 or more States; or

    (2) A noncommercial educational broadcast station (as defined in 

Section 397 of the Communications Act of 1934); except that the term 

does not include the signal of the Alaska Rural Communications Service, 

or any successor entity to that service.

    (e) Zone of protection. The term ``zone of protection'' means--

    (1) With respect to network non-duplication, the zone of protection 

within which the television station is entitled to enforce network non-

duplication protection shall be that geographic area agreed upon between 

the network and the television station. In no event shall such rights 

exceed the area within which the television station may acquire 

broadcast territorial exclusivity rights as defined in Sec. 73.658(m) 

of this Chapter, except that small market television stations shall be 

entitled to a secondary protection zone of 32.2 additional kilometers 

(20 additional miles). To the extent rights are obtained for any 

hyphenated market named in Sec. 76.51, such rights shall not exceed 

those permitted under Sec. 73.658(m) of this Chapter for each named 

community in that market.

    (2) With respect to each syndicated program, the zone of protection 

within which the television station is entitled to enforce syndicated 

exclusivity rights shall be that geographic area agreed upon between the 

non-network program supplier, producer or distributor and the television 

station. In no event shall such zone exceed the area within which the 

television station has acquired broadcast territorial exclusivity rights 

as defined in Sec. 73.658(m) of this Chapter. To the extent rights are 

obtained for any hyphenated market named in Sec. 76.51, such rights 

shall not exceed those permitted under Sec. 73.658(m) of this chapter 

for each named community in that market.

    (3) With respect to sports blackout, the zone of protection is the 

``specified zone'' of a television broadcast station, as defined in 

Sec. 76.5(e). If there is no television station licensed to the 

community in which the sports event is taking place, the applicable 

specified zone shall be that of the television station licensed to the 

community with which the sports event or team is identified, or, if the 

event or local team is not identified with any particular community, the 

nearest community to which a television station is licensed.