Bill Summary
The "Local and Independent Television Protection Act of 2019" is a bill designed to eliminate the discount for UHF television stations when calculating the national audience reach of television broadcast stations. This means that UHF stations will now be counted as 100% of the households in their designated market area, rather than receiving a discount. The Federal Communications Commission is responsible for implementing this change within 90 days of the bill's enactment. Any party that currently exceeds the national audience reach limitation due to the UHF discount will have two years to come into compliance. However, the bill includes a grandfathering provision that exempts parties who had a vested interest in UHF stations prior to September 26, 2013, as long as they did not exceed the limitation at that time.
Possible Impacts
1. Elimination of UHF Discount: This legislation could affect people who own or work for UHF television stations, as it would eliminate the discount that these stations receive for the limitation on their national audience reach. This could potentially lead to a decrease in profits for these stations and may even result in job losses for employees.
2. Compliance Requirements: The legislation also sets a deadline for parties who exceed the limitation on national audience reach to come into compliance. This could affect people who own or work for these parties, as they may have to make changes to their business practices in order to comply with the new regulations.
3. Grandfathering Clause: The legislation includes a grandfathering clause that exempts television broadcast stations in which a party had a cognizable interest as of September 26, 2013 from the new regulations. This could affect people who own or work for these stations, as they may not have to make changes to comply with the new regulations, but may still be subject to the old limitations on national audience reach.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1789 Introduced in House (IH)]
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116th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1789
To eliminate the discount for UHF television stations for purposes of
the limitation on the aggregate national audience reach of television
broadcast stations in which a party may have a cognizable interest.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 14, 2019
Mr. Huffman (for himself and Mr. Price of North Carolina) introduced
the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To eliminate the discount for UHF television stations for purposes of
the limitation on the aggregate national audience reach of television
broadcast stations in which a party may have a cognizable interest.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Local and Independent Television
Protection Act of 2019''.
SEC. 2. ELIMINATION OF UHF DISCOUNT.
(a) In General.--Not later than 90 days after the date of the
enactment of this Act, the Federal Communications Commission shall
amend section 73.3555(e) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, such
that, for purposes of the aggregate national audience reach limitation
under such section, a UHF television station is attributed with 100
percent of the television households in the designated market area of
such station.
(b) Effective Date.--Except as provided in subsection (c), the
Commission shall provide that--
(1) the amendment required by subsection (a) shall apply
beginning on a date specified by the Commission, which shall be
not later than 90 days after the day on which the Commission
adopts such amendment; and
(2) any party that exceeds the limitation under section
73.3555(e) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations--
(A) through the grant, transfer, or assignment of
an additional license on or after the date specified by
the Commission under paragraph (1) shall come into
compliance with such limitation as required by section
73.3555(e)(3) of such title; or
(B) solely by reason of applying such amendment
(and not through the grant, transfer, or assignment of
an additional license) shall come into compliance with
such limitation not later than 2 years after the date
specified by the Commission under paragraph (1).
(c) Grandfathering.--In the case of television broadcast stations
in which a party had a cognizable interest as of September 26, 2013 (or
would have had such an interest following the completion of a transfer
or assignment of a license that was approved by the Commission on or
before such date or for which an application was pending with the
Commission on such date), if the aggregate national audience reach of
such stations would exceed the limitation under section 73.3555(e) of
title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, solely by reason of applying the
amendment required by subsection (a) as of such date, such amendment
shall not apply to such party with respect to such stations.
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