A bill to require a report by the Federal Communications Commission on designated market areas.

To require a report by the Federal Communications Commission on designated market areas. 1. Report on designated market areas (a) Definitions In this section— (1) the term appropriate congressional committees (A) the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives; and (B) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate; (2) the term Commission (3) the terms designated market area local market section 122(j) (4) the term television broadcast station (b) Findings Congress finds the following: (1) The telecommunications and media policy of the United States has long valued localism, competition, and diversity of voices. (2) Broadcasters play an essential role in providing critical emergency alerts, news, and information that responds to the needs of their communities. (3) Broadcast television remains an important medium for reaching communities, even as technological innovations and new forms of communication continue to expand. (4) It is in the public interest to study— (A) how designated market areas impact access to local and in-State programming; and (B) how any deficiencies in localism might be addressed. (c) Report (1) In general Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that contains— (A) an analysis of— (i) the extent to which consumers in each local market have access to broadcast programming from television broadcast stations located outside their local market; and (ii) (I) whether there are alternatives to the use of designated market areas to define markets that would provide consumers with more local programming options; and (II) the potential impact the alternatives described in clause (i) could have on localism and on broadcast television locally, regionally, and nationally; and (B) recommendations on how to foster increased localism in States served by out-of-State designated market areas. (2) Considerations for fostering increased localism In making recommendations under paragraph (1)(B), the Commission shall consider— (A) the impact that designated market areas that cross State lines have on access to local programming; (B) the impact that designated market areas have on local programming in rural areas; and (C) the state of local programming in States served exclusively by out-of-State designated market areas.

Summary: Directs the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to submit to Congress a report containing an analysis of: (1) the extent to which consumers in each local market have access to broadcast programming from television broadcast stations located outside their local market; (2) whether there are alternatives to the use of designated market areas to define markets that would provide consumers with more local programming options; and (3) the potential impact that such alternatives could have on localism and on broadcast television locally, regionally, and nationally. Requires such report to include recommendations on how to foster increased localism in states served by out-of-state designated market areas.