Low Power Protection Act

To require the Federal Communications Commission to issue a rule providing that certain low power television stations may be accorded primary status as Class A television licensees, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Low Power Protection Act 2. Low power TV stations (a) Definitions In this section— (1) the term Commission (2) the term Designated Market Area (A) a Designated Market Area determined by Nielsen Media Research or any successor entity; or (B) a Designated Market Area under a system of dividing television broadcast station licensees into local markets using a system that the Commission determines is equivalent to the system established by Nielsen Media Research; and (3) the term low power TV station digital low power TV station (b) Purpose The purpose of this section is to provide low power TV stations with a limited window of opportunity to apply for the opportunity to be accorded primary status as Class A television licensees. (c) Rulemaking (1) In general Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall issue a notice of proposed rulemaking to issue a rule that contains the requirements described in this subsection. (2) Requirements (A) In general The rule with respect to which the Commission is required to issue notice under paragraph (1) shall provide that, during the 1-year period beginning on the date on which that rule takes effect, a low power TV station may apply to the Commission to be accorded primary status as a Class A television licensee under section 73.6001 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation. (B) Considerations The Commission may approve an application submitted under subparagraph (A) if the low power TV station submitting the application— (i) satisfies— (I) section 336(f)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 336(f)(2) (II) paragraphs (b), (c), and (d) of 73.6001 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation; (ii) demonstrates to the Commission that the Class A station for which the license is sought will not cause any interference described in section 336(f)(7) of the Communications Act of 1934 ( 47 U.S.C. 336(f)(7) (iii) as of the date of enactment of this Act, operates in a Designated Market Area with not more than 95,000 television households. (3) Applicability of license A license that accords primary status as a Class A television licensee to a low power TV station as a result of the rule with respect to which the Commission is required to issue notice under paragraph (1) shall— (A) be subject to the same license terms and renewal standards as a license for a full power television broadcast station, except as otherwise expressly provided in this subsection; and (B) require the low power TV station to remain in compliance with paragraph (2)(B) during the term of the license. (d) Reporting Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report regarding the implementation of this section, which shall include— (1) a list of the current, as of the date on which the report is submitted, licensees that have been accorded primary status as Class A television licensees; and (2) of the licensees described in paragraph (1), an identification of each such licensee that has been accorded the status described in that paragraph because of the implementation of this section.

Summary: Low Power Protection Act This act provides for a one-year period during which eligible low-power television stations may apply to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for Class A licenses. To be eligible, a station must serve a media market with a limited number of television households, broadcast a minimum number of hours, and meet other requirements. A low-power station with a Class A license obtains certain broadcast rights, including primary status with respect to its allocation of the electromagnetic spectrum. (Typically, low-power stations have secondary status and may be displaced from their spectrum in the event the FCC reallocates it to a primary user.)