Federal Communications Commission	DA 20-743



DA 20-743
Released:  July 15, 2020

MEDIA BUREAU REMINDS CABLE AND SATELLITE TV PROVIDERS OF COMPLIANCE DATE FOR ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF CERTAIN NOTICES TO BROADCAST TELEVISION STATIONS 
MB Docket No. 19-165

On January 30, 2020, the Commission released a Report and Order (Order) updating its notification rules for cable operators and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) providers by transitioning certain notices to broadcast television stations from paper to electronic delivery. Electronic Delivery of Notices to Broadcast Television Stations et al., MB Docket No. 19-165 et al., Report and Order, 35 FCC Rcd 857 (2020).
  By this Public Notice, the Media Bureau (Bureau) reminds cable operators and DBS providers that after July 31, 2020, they must use e-mail to deliver covered notices to broadcast television stations. The Federal Register published a summary of the Order on March 20, 2020.  Electronic Delivery of Notices to Broadcast Television Stations et al., 85 Fed. Reg. 15999 (Mar. 20, 2020).  The Federal Register summary stated that the revised rules would become effective on April 20, 2020.  Id.  On July 15, 2020, the Commission published a notice in the Federal Register announcing that the Office of Management and Budget had approved the non-substantive changes to Paperwork Reduction Act burdens resulting from the Order’s revisions to sections 76.54, 76.64, 76.66, 76.1601, 76.1607 through 76.1609, and 76.1617 of the Commission’s rules.  Information Collection Approved by the Office of Management and Budget, 85 Fed. Reg. 42742 (July 15, 2020).
  As discussed in the Order, cable operators must use e-mail to deliver the notices required by the following rules:  sections 76.64(k) (intent to commence service); 47 CFR § 76.64(k).
 76.1601 (deletion or repositioning of broadcast signals); Id. § 76.1601.
 76.1607 (changes to principal headend); Id. § 76.1607.
 76.1608 (system technical integration requiring uniform election of must carry or retransmission consent status); Id. § 76.1608.
 76.1609 (non-duplication and syndicated exclusivity); Id. § 76.1609.
 and 76.1617 (activation of a cable system). Id. § 76.1617.
  Similarly, DBS must use e-mail to deliver the notices required by the following rules:  sections 76.54(e) and 76.66(d)(5) (intent to retransmit a “significantly viewed” out-of-market station); Id. §§ 76.54(e), 76.66(d)(5).
 76.66(d)(2) (intent to launch new local-into-local or HD carry-one, carry-all service); 47 CFR § 76.66(d)(2).
 76.66(d)(1)(vi) and (d)(3)(iv) (response to carriage requests); Id. § 76.66(d)(1)(vi), (3)(iv). 
 76.66(f)(3)-(4) (location of local receive facility or intent to relocate such facility); Id. § 76.66(f)(3)-(4).
 and 76.66(h)(5) (deletion of duplicating signal or addition of formerly duplicating signal). Id. § 76.66(h)(5).
  

After July 31, 2020, notices to full-power and Class A television stations must be delivered via e-mail to the inbox that the station designates for carriage issues in the Online Public Inspection File (OPIF). Id. §§ 76.66(d)(2)(ii); 76.1600(e); Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 860-61, 865, paras. 7, 15-16.
  Notices to low-power television (LPTV) stations that lack Class A status, and are not subject to the OPIF rules, must be delivered to the e-mail address listed for the licensee of the LPTV station in the Commission’s Licensing and Management System (LMS). 47 CFR § 76.1600(e); Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 862-64, paras. 11-12.
  Notices to qualified noncommercial educational (NCE) television translator stations must be delivered either (i) to the e-mail address listed for the licensee of the qualified NCE translator station in LMS, or (ii) to the “carriage issues” e-mail address listed in the primary station’s OPIF, if the qualified NCE translator station does not have its own e-mail address listed in LMS. 47 CFR § 76.1600(e); Order, 35 FCC Rcd at 864, para. 13.


For additional information, contact Brendan Holland, Media Bureau, at (202) 418-2757 or brendan.holland@fcc.gov.  For press inquiries, contact Janice Wise at (202) 418-8165 or janice.wise@fcc.gov. 

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