Media Contact: 
Janice Wise
janice.wise@fcc.gov

For Immediate Release

FCC PROPOSES RULE UPDATES TO FACILITATE  BROADCAST STATION CARRIAGE ELECTIONS
 -- 
WASHINGTON, July 14, 2022 – The Federal Communications Commission today adopted a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to update its rules to ensure TV stations and pay TV providers are using the same data to determine which stations are “local.”  

The Commission’s current rules require that local television stations seeking carriage on a pay TV system must determine their local market by reference to the Nielsen annual Station Index Directory in combination with the Nielsen Station Index United States Television Household Estimates.  The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would remove these Nielsen publications from our rules, as they are no longer being produced, and replace them with Nielsen’s monthly Local TV Station Information Report.  This proposed rule change will provide regulatory certainty to TV stations and pay TV providers that rely upon these reports to determine a station’s local market, and ensure carriage of the signal to local subscribers.

Action by the Commission July 14, 2022 by Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 22-55).  Chairwoman Rosenworcel, Commissioners Carr, Starks, and Simington approving.  Chairwoman Rosenworcel and Commissioner Simington issuing separate statements.

MB Docket No. 22-239

###

Media Relations: (202) 418-0500 / ASL: (848) 432-2275 / Twitter: @FCC / www.fcc.gov

This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).