Federal Communications Commission DA 24-306 Before the FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 In the Matter of Implementation of Section 3 of the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992 Statistical Report on Average Rates for Basic Service, Cable Programming Service, and Equipment ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) MM Docket No. 92-266 ORDER Adopted: March 27, 2024 Released: March 27, 2024 Responses Due: May 24, 2024 By the Chief, Office of Economics and Analytics: I. INTRODUCTION 1. This Order initiates the Commission’s survey soliciting industry input necessary for the statutorily required report on cable industry prices. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 included the Repack Airwaves Yielding Better Access for Users of Modern Services Act of 2018 (RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018), Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, Pub. L. No. 115-141, Div. P—RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018, §§ 401-404, 132 Stat. 348, 1087-90 (2018) (RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018). which amended section 13 of the Communications Act of 1934 to require the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) to publish a single, biennial “Communications Marketplace Report,” in lieu of several individual reports separately assessing competition among providers of various communications services, including voice, video, audio, and data services. Div. P—RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018, Title IV: FCC Consolidated Reporting, Section 13. Among the previous reports now included in the Communications Marketplace Report, to be published in the last quarter of every even numbered year, is information that was previously submitted to Congress as an annual report on cable industry prices. We note here that due to the change from an annual report to making up part of a biennial report, we will move from an annual collection of data to a biennial collection. That report previously was required annually pursuant to section 623(k) of the Communications Act, prior to amendment by RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018. Initially, section 623(k) was adopted as section 3(k) of the 1992 Cable Act, Pub. L. No. 102-385, 106 Stat. 1460, codified at 47 U.S.C. § 543(k). The prior report provided statistical data on the average rates for basic cable service, cable programming service, and equipment, as well as a comparison of the average rates of cable systems that the Commission has found are subject to effective competition with those of systems that the Commission has found are not subject to effective competition. 47 U.S.C. § 543(k). The 1992 Cable Act defines basic cable service as that tier of service that includes the retransmission of local television broadcast signals. See 47 U.S.C. § 543(b)(7). Cable programming service is defined as “any video programming provided over a cable system, regardless of service tier, including installation or rental of equipment used for the receipt of such video programming, other than (A) video programming carried on the basic service tier, and (B) video programming offered on a per channel or per program basis.” 47 U.S.C. § 543(l) (2). Equipment refers to a converter box, remote control, and other equipment necessary to access programming. See 47 U.S.C. § 543(b)(3). Historically, effective competition existed where the Commission made a finding that a multi-channel video programming distributor (MVPD) met one of four tests within its franchise area: (1) fewer than 30% of households subscribed to the service of the cable system (the “low penetration test”); (2) at least two MVPDs served 50% or more of households and at least 15% of those households took service other than from the largest MVPD (the “competing provider test”); (3) a municipal MVPD offered service to at least 50% of households (the “municipal test”); and (4) a local exchange carrier (LEC) or its affiliate (or any MVPD using the facilities of the LEC or its affiliate) offered video programming service (other than direct broadcast satellite service) comparable to the service of an unaffiliated MVPD (the “LEC test”). See 47 U.S.C. § 543(k)(1)(1)(A-D). In 2015, however, the Commission modified its effective competition process and adopted a rebuttable presumption that cable operators are subject to “competing provider” effective competition, as described above.  This change was justified by the ubiquitous nature of two unaffiliated Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) services, with DBS providers capturing almost 34% of the MVPD subscribers. The Commission concluded that it was thus appropriate to presume that the competing provider test is met, unless a franchise authority demonstrates that the presumption is not valid in a franchise area.  See Amendment to the Commission’s Rules Concerning Effective Competition, Implementation of Section 111 of the STELA Reauthorization Act, Report and Order, 30 FCC Rcd 6574 (2015). The current survey sample accounts for this change in presumption of effective competition. In addition, section 110 of the STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014 requires the Commission to report on retransmission consent fees paid by cable operators to broadcast stations or groups. Section 110 of the STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014 (STELAR). See Pub. L. No. 113-200, 128 Stat. 2059 (2014) enacted December 4, 2014 (H.R. 5728, 113th Cong.). Specifically, STELAR instructs the Commission to include in its now-biennial report on cable industry prices “the aggregate average total amount paid by cable systems in compensation under section 325 [of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended,]” and to report such information “in a manner substantially similar to the way other comparable information is published” in the report. 47 U.S.C. § 543(k)(2), as amended. Because these data are collected for entire year periods, they are collected for the years ending in 2018 and 2019. To implement the requirements of RAY BAUM’S Act of 2018 and address the Commission’s continuing obligation to report on cable television rates and related data, the Commission is directing certain cable operators to respond to a price survey questionnaire designed to solicit information concerning rates for basic service, cable programming service, and equipment used to receive such services. The Notice to individuals required by the Privacy Act and the Paperwork Reduction Act is attached to this Order as Appendix A and instructions for completing the questionnaire are attached as Appendix B. The cable operators selected for our sample must complete and file the questionnaire no later than May 24, 2024. 2. The survey requests information on the monthly price of basic service, expanded basic service, and the next most popular service as of two dates: January 1, 2023, and January 1, 2024. In addition, the survey requests information on the monthly charge for equipment, the number of subscribers, and the number and types of channels offered. For further information, see the notice contained in Appendix A of this Order regarding the Privacy Act and Paperwork Reduction Act. 3. Our survey sample includes a random sample of cable operators in various communities nationwide. A completed questionnaire is required for each community selected in our sample. If more than one community is selected from any cable system, the cable operator must complete a separate questionnaire for each community unit identification (CUID) number selected. All surveys must be filed electronically through our Form 333 web application. 4. Data submitted in response to this survey will be made available to the public in aggregate form as averages representing segments of the industry. Survey data also may be subject to requests for public release filed pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Nothing in this Order shall be construed as a resolution on the merits of a FOIA request. If an individual respondent wishes to request confidential treatment of any data provided in connection with this survey, in accordance with sections 0.457 and 0.459 of the Commission’s rules, 47 CFR §§ 0.457, 0.459. it should request such confidentiality in writing and identify clearly the specific information it wishes to protect. It also should provide, as required by the rules, a complete explanation of why such treatment is appropriate. A copy of the written request for confidentiality should be sent to the cable price survey team in an e-mail addressed to cablesurvey@fcc.gov. If a respondent does not submit a request for confidentiality, the Commission may release the respondent’s data, including identifying information. 5. Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED pursuant to section 623(k) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. § 543(k), and section 4(i) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. § 154(i), that cable operators subject to the price survey requirement described herein shall complete and file the price survey questionnaire no later than May 24, 2024. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Giulia McHenry Chief Office of Economics and Analytics APPENDIX A 2024 Cable Industry Price Survey FCC NOTICE TO INDIVIDUALS REQUIRED BY THE PRIVACY ACT AND THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT Privacy Act Statement Authority: The solicitation of information in this survey form is authorized by section 623(k) of the Communications Act, as amended. Purpose: The Commission will use the information collected on this form to report on average prices that cable operators charge for basic cable service, cable programming service, and equipment. Section 623(k) requires the Commission to compare prices charged by cable operators that are found to be subject to effective competition with those not subject to effective competition. However, the Commission has found only one cable community that is not subject to effective competition. See Communications Marketplace Report, GN Docket No. 22-203, 37 FCC Rcd 15514, 15688-89, para. 293 (2022). Thus, the comparison required by section 623(k) is no longer statistically possible. The survey will also collect information on retransmission consent fees, which are aggregate average total amounts paid by cable systems in compensation to television broadcast stations under section 325 of the Communications Act. Routine Uses: The FCC may release information provided in this form when necessary and appropriate under 5 U.S.C. § 552a(b) of the Privacy Act to: the public in FCC releases of notices or actions or when required to comply with federal laws or FCC regulations requiring public disclosure of the information contained in our records; to third parties, including individuals and businesses in the communications industry and public safety, FCC vendors and their contractors, and to other federal agencies or state, local, U.S. territorial, and Tribal government entities to administer, support, participate in, or receive information related to, FCC programs and activities; or to ensure compliance with the confidentiality and other rules regarding information sharing in the FCC’s programs and activities; to other federal agencies or to other administrative or adjudicative bodies before which the FCC is authorized to appear; to federal, state, or local law enforcement when FCC becomes aware of an indication of a violation or potential violation of a civil or criminal statute, law, regulation, or order; to Federal agencies, non-Federal entities, their employees, and agents for the purpose of detecting and preventing fraud, waste, and abuse in Federal programs; to non-federal personnel, including contractors, grantees, and volunteers who have been engaged to assist the FCC in the performance of a contract service, grant, cooperative agreement, or other activity related to this system of records and who need to have access to the records in order to perform their activity; and, to  appropriate agencies, entities, and persons when the FCC suspects or has confirmed that there has been a breach of information related to this system.  A complete list of the routine uses can be found in the system of records notice associated with this collection, FCC-2, Business Contacts and Certifications, posted at https://www.fcc.gov/managing-director/privacy-transparency/privacy-act-information. Disclosure: Response to this information is mandatory. Reporting entities failing to file responses in a timely fashion may be subject to penalties under the Communications Act, including sections 502 and 503(b). Paperwork Reduction Act Notice The solicitation of information in this survey form is authorized by section 623(k) of the Communications Act, as amended. This form has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget, under OMB control number 3060-0647 (expiration date: 05/31/2024). The public reporting burden for this information collection is estimated to average 7.0 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and entering the data needed, and completing and reviewing the questionnaire. Suggestions for reducing the burden may be sent to the Commission in an e-mail addressed to cablesurvey@fcc.gov with “Suggestions for Reducing Burden” in the “subject” line. Alternatively, send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden, to the Records Management Division, Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC 20554. The above notice is required by the Privacy Act of 1974, Pub. L. No. 93-579, 88 Stat. 1897, codified at 5 U.S.C. § 552a(e)(3), and the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Pub. L. No. 104-13, 109 Stat. 163, codified at 44 U.S.C. § 3507. APPENDIX B Cable Industry Price Survey INSTRUCTIONS FOR ACCESSING, COMPLETING, AND SUBMITTING THE WEB-BASED SURVEY FCC Form 333 Features of the Web-Based Survey: Some of the features of the web-based survey that you should be aware of before entering data are summarized below. More complete instructions pertaining to each of these features are provided under the relevant headings in the following sections. · After You Login: The survey begins after you select your CUID. You must answer each question to proceed to be able to go to the next page. To navigate forward and backward in the survey, you must use the arrows at the bottom of the page. Do not use your browser back button, that will cause you to exit the survey. · Entering Data: Many fields have internal checks, or “error messages”, associated with them. If you receive an error message, please check to ensure that the data you have entered are correct. If there is an error in your answer, just re-answer the question with the correct response. If you are confident that the answer is correct, please provide a short explanation in the box that appears with the error message on the error message page. · Reopening a Submitted Survey to Make Changes: The contact email will receive a copy of a completed survey. You will also receive a link that will allow you to reopen the existing survey. If it becomes necessary to reopen a survey, and you do not have a link, please contact the cable price survey team at cablesurvey@fcc.gov or (202) 418-0940. Login Instructions: If the FCC notified your firm that it has been selected to participate in this year’s survey, you must respond to the Cable Price Survey. These instructions explain how you must proceed. The Cable Price Survey collects data on cable prices, prices of equipment and video channels offered. Providers of cable services were randomly selected to respond to the Cable Price Survey. If you need assistance, the staff in FCC’s Office of Economics and Analytics’ Industry Analysis Division is available to assist you with questions related to the Cable Price Survey. Please contact us with questions at cablesurvey@fcc.gov or 202-418-0940. 1.1 Before You Begin Throughout the survey, please be aware the interface provides buttons to navigate your submission: 1. Clicking Back will take you to the previous page; clicking forward will take you to the next question. To proceed forward you must answer the questions on the current page. The navigation buttons are located at the bottom of each page. Do not use the back button on your browser, that will exit you from the survey. 2. If you leave the survey before completing it, you may return to complete the survey by clicking on the survey link delivered to you via email. 1.2 Logging In 1. Open a web browser and go to the main FCC Cable Price Survey page (https://www.fcc.gov/industry-analysis-division/cable-price-survey) or go directly to the filing interface at Form 333 Login. 2. Under Username, please log in using the username created in CORES (For additional support, please visit the FCC Registration Help Pages. You can also call the FCC Licensing Hotline, (877) 480-3201 Option 4, or visit the e-support page). Note: this username can be the same as that used for other FCC data filings for your company. 3. Under Password, please log in using the password associated with the username created in CORES. 4. You can reset your password online at https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do or by calling 877‐480‐3201. After You Login: To create a new Cable Price Survey Submission after logging in, select your state from the drop-down list, then select the CUID for which you are completing a survey. It is critical that you select the correct CUID, so please make this selection carefully. The particular CUID (or CUIDs) that we picked are located in the FCC Cable Price Survey email that was sent to your company. Continue to fill in the Contact information and then select the forward arrow at the bottom of the page. Most pages have one question or some explanatory information regarding the question and a question or a few questions. You move to the next question using the forward button and go back to previous questions by selecting the back button. The application will not let you go forward without answering the question or questions on that page. If you want to view all the questions you should return to our main Cable Price Survey webpage at: https://www.fcc.gov/industry-analysis-division/cable-price-survey. A pdf version of the survey is available at that site. You can go directly to the online survey at: Form333 Login . Entering Data and Error Checks: Many fields have internal error checks. If you receive an error message, please check that the correct data are entered in the fields that are identified by the checks. In some instances, the check only refers to the current entry, however, in others, the check cross-references data from the current field with data found in another field. If you receive an error message for an entry in a field that has a cross-check with another field, the entry in the other field may be in error, rather than the field associated with the current question. These error messages are included in the application to help you identify typos and possible errors. If you have ensured that your response is correct, but you still receive an error message, we ask that you provide an explanation, or give us more information, for our records. That information can be typed into the box that is on the screen when an error check is activated. Having an error message will not prevent you from making an entry. When entering data into the web-based form, please note that the web application can only store numeric values in fields where numeric answers are expected. Text and special characters such as dollar signs, percent signs, commas, and letters (such as N/A) should not be used when answering questions where numeric values are required. If the data that we are asking for are not applicable or not available (for example the CUID was recently purchased and historical data are not available), then leave the field blank. In some instances, this may create an “error” message. Please explain in the error message box. If you have questions about an error message or other questions about how to complete a survey, you may do so by sending an e-mail to cablesurvey@fcc.gov with “Comment on CUID and Question Number (enter the relevant CUID and question number)” in the “Subject” line of your e-mail. How to Reopen a Completed Survey to Make Edits: The application does not save information as you move through the questions and press the forward arrow. If you close your session or select the back arrow on your web browser, you will lose the information that you entered, as you use the link that we provide when you close or submit your survey. The link to an old survey is provided to the email that is listed on the current survey. You must go forward or backward from each page by using the arrows at the bottom of each page. How to Submit the Survey to the Commission: Responses must be completed and filed directly on the Commission’s website. Once all data for a particular submission have been entered and reviewed, you must officially “submit” the data to the Commission to complete that filing. The completion of the Certification Section will submit the survey as complete. Once the system accepts a submission, you will receive an email with a copy of your completed survey and a link address that will allow you to return to the survey if you need to make revisions to your original filing. The application allows revisions to be made to completed and/or submitted surveys, so you may re-enter and revise your submission for a particular CUID at any point in the process (up to the filing deadline), even after you have submitted it as a completed survey. How to Reopen a Completed Survey to Make Edits: The web-based filing system will allow you to reopen a submitted survey to make changes until the filing deadline. If you wish to amend a submitted survey after the filing deadline, please contact the cable price survey team at cablesurvey@fcc.gov or (202) 418-0940. To reopen a completed survey, you must use the most recent link supplied to you. In addition to the instructions on how to navigate the FCC Cable Price Survey Form, we also include some additional information on the content of the survey below. Cable Video Services questions include prices for service prices for particular tiers of service and the associated equipment costs for each service. The service tiers are: Basic Service, Expanded Basic Service and the Next-Most Popular Service offered on the system that serves the community or communities we selected in our survey. We ask for the number of channels offered for each service tier. We also have a few questions about the particular channels including the number of channels carried under the FCC’s public, educational, and governmental (PEG) access rules, the number of channels carried under the FCC’s commercial leased access rules and the number of Regional Sports networks carried. If a network is offered with basic service, generally the same network would be offered and counted under expanded basic. Similarly, the number under the next most popular service is generally equal to the number under expanded basic plus any additional channels offered. For each tier of service we only ask for the price of HD (High Definition) service. For each service cost add the service price and all fees and surcharges required to receive the service tier in HD. Fees such as Broadcast TV and Regional Sports fees are not regulatory pass-through fees and must be included in HD service cost. Exclude only separate equipment lease fees (if there is a separate equipment fee), taxes, and regulatory pass-through fees. Prices for necessary equipment are asked for in separate questions. Regulatory pass-through fees refer to fees charged to cable operators by regulatory bodies that are then passed on to consumers. In addition, report the total cost of HD service for each tier. For example, if basic service costs $20 and expanded basic service costs an additional $45, report a price of $65 for expanded basic service. The selected CUIDs are provided to you in an initial email that is directed to a contact email address that we have for your company. Not all companies are selected for this survey, so if you have not received an email from the FCC regarding the Cable Price Survey, you may not have been selected, our email could have been directed to someone else in your company or the email could have been identified as Spam or Junk by your email provider. If you think you should have been selected but did not get an email, you can inquire by sending an email to cablesurvey@fcc.gov and we will get back to you. Service Tiers Basic Service: Basic service is the entry level video (cable) TV programming service that subscribers can purchase. Typically, basic service is a "limited basic" which consists only of local broadcast channels; any public, educational, and governmental access channels; and sometimes a few national and/or other channels. In contrast to "limited basic", some operators only offer a "bundled basic" with many popular national networks that other operators might offer separately as expanded basic service. For operators who do not offer limited basic, you will not be asked to report information for basic service. Whether limited basic or bundled, basic service is the entry level service that is required for all customers. Expanded Basic Service: In most cases, Expanded Basic service includes the limited basic channels plus many popular national networks. Next Most Popular Service: The next most popular service (compared to expanded basic service) must offer at least seven additional non-premium, national cable networks. Broadcast Stations and Retransmission Consent A number of questions refer to local broadcast stations that your cable system carries. The questions are required by Congress and refer to retransmission consent fees paid to broadcasters. We ask that you provide information at the community level or the smallest system level at which records are kept. Below are several terms you’ll need to understand to answer the questions. Cable systems carry local broadcast stations under either retransmission consent agreement or must-carry rights. Under retransmission consent, any cable operator that offers a station to its subscribers must pay retransmission consent fees to the station or obtain another agreement allowing it to carry the station. Under must-carry rights, the cable operator must provide the station to its subscribers but the station cannot require fees. A broadcast station is identified by its call sign; e.g. WXYZ. It is important to note, however, that one broadcast station may transmit multiple channels. For example, in addition to WXYZ’s primary channel of network programming (e.g. CBS network), WXYZ may transmit multiple multicast sub-channels (e.g. WXYZ-DT2 and WXYZ-DT3) which your cable system carries on separate channels. A multicast sub-channel often shows a different network (e.g. QUBO, Comet, MeTV, etc.) than the primary channel. Multicast sub-channels are often identified in the channel lineup by network name, and not always by call sign. To answer these questions, you will need to find out which channels in your channel lineup are multicast sub-channels of broadcast stations. (In the example above, WXYZ would count as one station under either retransmission consent or must-carry, depending on its retransmission consent/must-carry status.) We also ask for you to provide information on the total payments made to retransmission consent stations in the local market and the number of subscribers that receive those stations. For the broadcast stations identified above, report the total annual amount paid to local broadcasters in retransmission consent fees in 2022 and 2023. Please provide information at the community level or the smallest system level at which records are kept. Do not include other fees paid to broadcasters such as copyright royalties. We also ask for the number of subscribers subject to retransmission consent fees in 2022 and 2023. If subscriber counts are available at the monthly level, report average monthly subscribers under retransmission consent agreement in each year. Appendix C FCC Cable Price Survey Community and System Please click to select your state and then CUID from drop down lists. The information in 2 entries below will be imported from the Cable Operations and Licensing System (COALS) database with data as of 1/1/2024. Please ensure that you select the correct CUID. State (drop-down list of States) CUID (6-digit community unit identification) (drop-down list of sample CUIDs) Q1. List one of the 5-digit Zip Codes in the community. Parent Company and Contact Information. Q2. Name of ultimate parent entity. Q3. Name of survey contact person. Q4. E-mail address of contact person. Q5. Phone number of contact person. Q6. Did you operate a video service in this community on 1/1/2023? (Y/N) Q7. Did you operate a video service in this community on 1/1/2024? (Y/N) Q8. Number of video subscribers nationwide of parent entity on 1/1/2024. Local Broadcast Stations and Retransmission Consent Fees The next questions refer to local broadcast stations that your cable system carries. The questions are required by Congress and refer to retransmission consent fees paid to broadcasters. Please provide information at the community level or the smallest system level at which records are kept. Below are several terms you will need to understand to answer the questions. Cable systems carry local broadcast stations under either retransmission consent agreement or must-carry rights. Under retransmission consent, any cable operator that offers a station to its subscribers must pay retransmission consent fees to the station or obtain another agreement allowing it to carry the station. Under must-carry rights, the cable operator must provide the station to its subscribers but the station cannot require fees. A broadcast station is identified by its call sign; e.g. WXYZ. It is important to note, however, that one broadcast station may transmit multiple channels. For example, in addition to WXYZ’s primary channel of network programming (e.g. CBS network), WXYZ may transmit multiple multicast sub-channels (e.g. WXYZ-DT2 and WXYZ-DT3) which your cable system carries on separate channels. A multicast sub-channel often shows a different network (e.g. QUBO, Comet, MeTV, etc.) than the primary channel. Multicast sub-channels are often identified in the channel lineup by network name, and not always by call sign. To answer these questions, you will need to find out which channels in your channel lineup are multicast sub-channels of broadcast stations. (In the example above, WXYZ would count as one station under either retransmission consent or must-carry, depending on its retransmission consent/must-carry status.) Retransmission Consent Q9. How many stations were carried under retransmission consent agreement on 1/1/2023? Q10. How many stations were carried under retransmission consent agreement on 1/1/2024? Must Carry Q11. How many stations were carried under must-carry rights on 1/1/2023? Q12. How many stations were carried under must-carry rights on 1/1/2024? Multicast Sub-channels A broadcast station is often identified by its call sign; e.g. WXYZ. It is important to note, however, that one broadcast station may transmit multiple channels. For example, in addition to WXYZ’s primary channel of network programming (e.g. CBS network), WXYZ may transmit multiple multicast sub-channels (e.g. WXYZ-DT2 and WXYZ-DT3) which your cable system carries on separate channels. A multicast sub-channel often shows a different network (e.g. QUBO, Comet, MeTV, etc.) than the primary channel. Multicast sub-channels are often identified in the channel lineup by network name, and not always by call sign. To answer these questions, you will need to find out which channels in your channel lineup are multicast sub-channels of broadcast stations. (In the example above, WXYZ-DT2 and WXYZ-DT3 would count as two multicast channels under either retransmission consent or must-carry, depending on its retransmission consent/must-carry status.) Retransmission Consent Q13. For the stations carried under retransmission consent agreement, how many multicast sub-channels were carried on 1/1/2023? Q14. For the stations carried under retransmission consent agreement, how many multicast sub-channels were carried on 1/1/2024? Must Carry Q15. For the stations carried under must-carry rights, how many multicast sub-channels were carried on 1/1/2023? Q16. For the stations carried under must-carry rights, how many multicast sub-channels were carried on 1/1/2024? Retransmission Consent Fees Q17. For the broadcast stations identified above, report the total annual amount paid to local broadcasters in retransmission consent fees in 2022. (Please provide information at the community level or the smallest system level at which records are kept. Do not include other fees paid to broadcasters such as copyright royalties.) Q18. Number of subscribers subject to retransmission consent fees in 2022. (If subscriber counts are available at the monthly level, report average monthly subscribers under retransmission consent agreement in each year.) Average Annual Fees per Subscriber (automatically calculated) in 2022 = Based on historical responses to these retransmission consent questions, average annual fees per subscriber is usually more than $30 and less than $350. If you reported an average annual fees per subscriber that falls outside the range of expected answers, please review your responses for Q17 and Q18 by selecting the back arrow below. You can revise your responses there or if you are sure that the answers to Q17 and Q18 are correct, select the forward arrow. For answers that fall outside the $30 to $350 range, please explain why your answers are correct in the box below. Q19. For the broadcast stations identified above, report the total annual amount paid to local broadcasters in retransmission consent fees in 2023. (Please provide information at the community level or the smallest system level at which records are kept. Do not include other fees paid to broadcasters such as copyright royalties.) Q20. Number of subscribers subject to retransmission consent fees in 2023. (If subscriber counts are available at the monthly level, report average monthly subscribers under retransmission consent agreement in each year.) Average Annual Fees per Subscriber (automatically calculated) in 2023 = Based on historical responses to these retransmission consent questions, average annual fees per subscriber is usually more than $30 and less than $350. If you reported an average annual fees per subscriber that falls outside the range of expected answers, please review your responses for Q17 and Q18 by selecting the back arrow below. You can revise your responses there or if you are sure that the answers to Q19 and Q20 are correct, select the forward arrow. For answers that fall outside the $30 to $350 range, please explain why your answers are correct in the box below. Channel Lineup on 1/1/2024 Q21. Number of channels carried under FCC’s public, educational, and governmental (PEG) access rules. Please provide a response for: Basic Service Expanded Basic Service Q22. Number of channels carried under FCC’s commercial leased access rules. Please provide a response for: Basic Service Expanded Basic Service A regional sports network (RSN) carries a substantial number of live games from at least one nearby professional sports team that is a member of the MLB, NBA, or NHL. Examples include NBC Sports Bay Area, Bally Sports Detroit, Spectrum SportsNet, and Altitude Sports. Do not include MLB Extra Innings, NHL Center Ice, NBA League Pass, and NFL Sunday Ticket / Redzone, or pay-per-view events. If a network is offered with basic service, generally the same network would be offered and counted under expanded basic. Similarly, the number under the next most popular service is generally equal to the number under expanded basic plus any additional RSNs offered. The number under “Other Services” should include any network not accounted for under basic, expanded basic, or the next most popular services. Q23. Number of Regional Sports Networks. Please provide a response for: Basic Service Expanded Basic Service Next Most Popular Service Other Service Service and Equipment Prices Cable Service Tiers Basic Service Basic service is the entry level video (cable) TV programming service that subscribers can purchase. Typically, basic service is a "limited basic" which consists only of local broadcast channels; any public, educational, and governmental access channels; and sometimes a few national and/or other channels. In contrast to “limited basic,”, some operators only offer a "bundled basic" with many popular national networks that other operators might offer separately as expanded basic service. For operators who do not offer limited basic, the bundled basic should be reported as both the basic service and the expanded basic service. Whether limited basic or bundled, basic service is the entry level service that is required for all customers. Expanded Basic Service In most cases, expanded basic service includes the limited basic channels plus many popular national networks. However, if you answer “no” to Question 24 or 25 (your basic service is not a limited basic) then basic service and expanded basic service are the same. Q24. Is basic service in this community a “limited basic” as described above on 1/1/2023? (Y/N) Q25. Is basic service in this community a “limited basic” as described above on 1/1/2024? (Y/N) Basic Service Q26. Is basic service tier available in high definition (HD) on 1/1/2023? (Y/N) If the service tier is not available in HD, report the cost of the service tier in standard definition (SD) and report the cost of an SD converter box and remote-control. Follow all other HD instructions for SD. For HD service cost including fees, add the service price and all fees and surcharges required to receive the service tier in HD. Exclude only equipment lease fees, taxes, and regulatory pass-through fees. Regulatory pass-through fees refer to fees charged to cable operators by regulatory bodies that are then passed on to consumers. Fees such as Broadcast TV and Regional Sports fees are not regulatory pass-through fees and must be included in HD service cost. In addition, report the total cost of HD service for each tier. For example, if basic service costs $20 and expanded basic service costs an additional $45, report a price of $65 for expanded basic service. Q27. HD Basic Service cost including fees on 1/1/2023. For HD converter box and remote-control cost, report the additional monthly lease fee for an HD-capable converter box and remote-control for a subscriber’s first TV. Q28. Is an HD converter box and remote-control included in the HD service cost reported above on 1/1/2023? (Y/N) Q29. HD Basic converter box and remote-control cost on 1/1/2023. The total cost of HD service and equipment is automatically calculated as the sum of the HD service cost and the HD converter box and remote-control cost. This amount should reflect the total cost (excluding taxes and regulatory pass-through fees) to subscribers to receive the service tier in HD using a converter box and remote control. Please check to ensure that this is the case. Total cost of Basic HD service and equipment on 1/1/2023 = Q30. Is basic service tier available in high definition (HD) on 1/1/2024? (Y/N) If the service tier is not available in HD, report the cost of the service tier in standard definition (SD) and report the cost of an SD converter box and remote-control. Follow all other HD instructions for SD. For HD service cost including fees, add the service price and all fees and surcharges required to receive the service tier in HD. Exclude only equipment lease fees, taxes, and regulatory pass-through fees. Regulatory pass-through fees refer to fees charged to cable operators by regulatory bodies that are then passed on to consumers. Fees such as Broadcast TV and Regional Sports fees are not regulatory pass-through fees and must be included in HD service cost. Q31. HD Basic Service cost including fees on 1/1/2024. For HD converter box and remote-control cost, report the additional monthly lease fee for an HD-capable converter box and remote-control for a subscriber’s first TV. Q32. Is an HD converter box and remote-control included in the HD service cost reported above on 1/1/2024? (Y/N) Q33. HD Basic converter box and remote-control cost on 1/1/2024. The total cost of HD service and equipment is automatically calculated as the sum of the HD service cost and the HD converter box and remote-control cost. This amount should reflect the total cost (excluding taxes and regulatory pass-through fees) to subscribers to receive the service tier in HD using a converter box and remote control. Please check to ensure that this is the case. Total cost of Basic HD service and equipment on 1/1/2024 = Expanded Basic Service In most cases, expanded basic service includes the limited basic channels plus many popular national networks. However, if you answer “”no” to Question 24 or 25 (your basic service is not a limited basic) then basic service and expanded basic service are the same. Q34. Is expanded basic service tier available in high definition (HD) on 1/1/2023? (Y/N) If the service tier is not available in HD, report the cost of the service tier in standard definition (SD) and report the cost of an SD converter box and remote-control. Follow all other HD instructions for SD. For HD service cost including fees, add the service price and all fees and surcharges required to receive the service tier in HD. Exclude only equipment lease fees, taxes, and regulatory pass-through fees. Regulatory pass-through fees refer to fees charged to cable operators by regulatory bodies that are then passed on to consumers. Fees such as Broadcast TV and Regional Sports fees are not regulatory pass-through fees and must be included in HD service cost. In addition, report the total cost of HD service for each tier. For example, if basic service costs $20 and expanded basic service costs an additional $45, report a price of $65 for expanded basic service. Q35. HD Expanded Basic Service cost including fees on 1/1/2023. For HD converter box and remote-control cost, report the additional monthly lease fee for an HD-capable converter box and remote-control for a subscriber’s first TV. Q36. Is an HD converter box and remote-control included in the HD service cost reported above on 1/1/2023? (Y/N) Q37. HD converter box and remote-control cost on 1/1/2023. The total cost of HD service and equipment is automatically calculated as the sum of the HD service cost and the HD converter box and remote-control cost. This amount should reflect the total cost (excluding taxes and regulatory pass-through fees) to subscribers to receive the service tier in HD using a converter box and remote control. Please check to ensure that this is the case. Total cost of Expanded Basic HD service and equipment on 1/1/2023 = Q38. Is expanded basic service tier available in high definition (HD) on 1/1/2024? (Y/N) If the service tier is not available in HD, report the cost of the service tier in standard definition (SD) and report the cost of an SD converter box and remote-control. Follow all other HD instructions for SD. For HD service cost including fees, add the service price and all fees and surcharges required to receive the service tier in HD. Exclude only equipment lease fees, taxes, and regulatory pass-through fees. Regulatory pass-through fees refer to fees charged to cable operators by regulatory bodies that are then passed on to consumers. Fees such as Broadcast TV and Regional Sports fees are not regulatory pass-through fees and must be included in HD service cost. In addition, report the total cost of HD service for each tier. For example, if basic service costs $20 and expanded basic service costs an additional $45, report a price of $65 for expanded basic service. Q39. HD Expanded Basic Service cost including fees on 1/1/2024. For HD converter box and remote-control cost, report the additional monthly lease fee for an HD-capable converter box and remote-control for a subscriber’s first TV. Q40. Is an HD converter box and remote-control included in the HD service cost reported above on 1/1/2024? (Y/N) Q41. HD converter box and remote-control cost on 1/1/2024. The total cost of HD service and equipment is automatically calculated as the sum of the HD service cost and the HD converter box and remote-control cost. This amount should reflect the total cost (excluding taxes and regulatory pass-through fees) to subscribers to receive the service tier in HD using a converter box and remote control. Please check to ensure that this is the case. Total cost of Expanded Basic HD service and equipment on 1/1 2024 = Next Most Popular Service For these questions, the next most popular service (compared to expanded basic service) must offer at least seven additional non-premium, national cable networks. Q42. Is a next most popular service offered on 1/1/2023? (Y/N) Q43. Is a next most popular service offered on 1/1/2024? (Y/N) Q44. Is the next most popular service tier available in high definition (HD) on 1/1/2023? (Y/N) If the service tier is not available in HD, report the cost of the service tier in standard definition (SD) and report the cost of an SD converter box and remote-control. Follow all other HD instructions for SD. For HD service cost including fees, add the service price and all fees and surcharges required to receive the service tier in HD. Exclude only equipment lease fees, taxes, and regulatory pass-through fees. Regulatory pass-through fees refer to fees charged to cable operators by regulatory bodies that are then passed on to consumers. Fees such as Broadcast TV and Regional Sports fees are not regulatory pass-through fees and must be included in HD service cost. In addition, report the total cost of HD service for each tier. For example, if expanded basic service costs $100 and the next most popular service costs an additional $45, report a price of $145 for the next most popular service. Q45. HD Next Most Popular Service cost including fees on 1/1/2023. For HD converter box and remote-control cost, report the additional monthly lease fee for an HD-capable converter box and remote-control for a subscriber’s first TV. Q46. Is an HD converter box and remote-control included in the HD service cost reported above on 1/1/2023? (Y/N) Q47. HD converter box and remote-control cost on 1/1/2023. The total cost of HD service and equipment is automatically calculated as the sum of the HD service cost and the HD converter box and remote-control cost. This amount should reflect the total cost (excluding taxes and regulatory pass-through fees) to subscribers to receive the service tier in HD using a converter box and remote control. Please check to ensure that this is the case. Total cost of Next Most Popular HD service and equipment on 1/1/2023 = Q48. Is the next most popular service tier available in high definition (HD) on 1/1/2024? (Y/N) If the service tier is not available in HD, report the cost of the service tier in standard definition (SD) and report the cost of an SD converter box and remote-control. Follow all other HD instructions for SD. For HD service cost including fees, add the service price and all fees and surcharges required to receive the service tier in HD. Exclude only equipment lease fees, taxes, and regulatory pass-through fees. Regulatory pass-through fees refer to fees charged to cable operators by regulatory bodies that are then passed on to consumers. Fees such as Broadcast TV and Regional Sports fees are not regulatory pass-through fees and must be included in HD service cost. In addition, report the total cost of HD service for each tier. For example, if expanded basic service costs $100 and the next most popular service costs an additional $45, report a price of $145 for the next most popular service. Q49. HD Next Most Popular Service cost including fees on 1/1/2024. For HD converter box and remote-control cost, report the additional monthly lease fee for an HD-capable converter box and remote-control for a subscriber’s first TV. Q50. Is an HD converter box and remote-control included in the HD service cost reported above on 1/1/2024? (Y/N) Q51. HD Next Most Popular converter box and remote-control cost on 1/1/2024. The total cost of HD service and equipment is automatically calculated as the sum of the HD service cost and the HD converter box and remote-control cost. This amount should reflect the total cost (excluding taxes and regulatory pass-through fees) to subscribers to receive the service tier in HD using a converter box and remote control. Please check to ensure that this is the case. Total cost of Next Most Popular HD service and equipment on 1/1/2024 = Channels For basic service, report the number of channels, including channels that may require leasing equipment such as a digital converter box. If a network is available in both standard and high definition, count it as one channel. Do not count audio-only channels such as a music suite. Also, do not count premium, pay-per-view, or video on demand channels. If no basic service channels in HD were offered, report the number of SD channels. Q52. Number of Basic Channels on 1/1/2023. Q53. Number of Basic Channels on 1/1/2024. Q54. Number of Expanded Basic Channels on 1/1/2023. Q55. Number of Expanded Basic Channels on 1/1/2024. Q56. Number of Next Most Popular Service Channels on 1/1/2023. Q57. Number of Next Most Popular Service Channels on 1/1/2024. Certification I certify that I have examined this report and all statements of fact herein are true, complete, and correct to the best of my knowledge, information, and belief, and are made in good faith. Willful false statements made on this form are punishable by fine and/or imprisonment (US Code, Title 18, Section 1001) and/or forfeiture (US Code, Title 47, Section 503). 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