‘‘(ii) not prohibit exclusive contracts
for multichannel video programming be-
tween a multichannel video programming
distributor, other than a cable operator,
and a multichannel video programming
vendor, other than a multichannel video
programming vendor in which a cable oper-
ator has an attributable interest, unless
the Commission determines (in accordance
with paragraph (4)) that such contract is
contrary to the public interest.’’; and
(C) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘enact-
ment of this section’’ and inserting ‘‘enactment
of the Video Competition and Consumer Choice
Act of 1998’’;
(4) in subsection (h), by adding at the end the
following new paragraph:
‘‘(3) OTHER CONTRACTS.—No contract to grant
exclusive distribution rights to any person with re-
spect to multichannel video programming may be en-
tered into on or after the date of enactment of the
Video Competition and Consumer Choice Act of
1998, 
except 
as 
permitted 
under 
subsection
(c)(2)(D). No contract entered into after June 1,
1990, and before such date of enactment that grants
such rights may continue in effect after 120 days
after the date of enactment of the Video Competition
and Consumer Choice Act of 1998.’’;
(5) in subsection (i), by adding at the end the
following new paragraphs:
‘‘(5) The term ‘multichannel video program-
ming’ means video programming which is transmit-
ted by any means and which is primarily intended
for the direct receipt by multichannel video program-
ming distributors for retransmission to their sub-
scribers.
‘‘(6) The term ‘multichannel video program-
ming vendor’ means a person engaged in the produc-
tion, creation, or wholesale distribution for sale of
multichannel video programming.’’.
(6) by striking subsection (j) and inserting the
following:
‘‘(j) COMMON CARRIERS.—Any provision that applies
to a multichannel video programming distributor or multi-
channel video programming vendor under this section shall
apply to a common carrier or its affiliate that provides
multichannel video programming.’’.
(b) DEADLINES FOR REVISED REGULATIONS.—The
Federal Communications Commission shall prescribe such
revisions to its regulations as may be necessary to imple-
ment the amendments made by subsection (a) within 120
days after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 4. LIFELINE CABLE SERVICE TIER.
Section 623(b) of the Communications Act of 1934
(47 U.S.C. 543(b)) is amended—
(1) in the subsection heading by inserting ‘‘AND
LIFELINE’’ after ‘‘BASIC’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(9) LIFELINE SERVICE TIER.—
‘‘(A) CONTENTS.—Each cable operator of
a cable system shall make available for sale to
its subscribers a separately packaged lifeline
service tier. Such lifeline service tier shall con-
sist exclusively of the following:
‘‘(i) All signals carried in fulfillment
of the requirements of sections 614 and
615.
‘‘(ii) Any public, educational, and gov-
ernmental access programming required by
the franchise of the cable system to be pro-
vided to subscribers.
‘‘(iii) Any signal of a local television
broadcast station that is provided by the
cable operator to any subscriber, except
that a digital television service signal shall
not be required to be carried as part of the
lifeline service tier pursuant to this clause
(iii) unless such carriage is required by
regulations prescribed by the Commission.
‘‘(B) PROHIBITION
ON
ADDITIONS.—A
cable operator may not add additional video
programming signals or services to the lifeline
service tier.
‘‘(C) RATE
REGULATION.—The Commis-
sion shall prescribe regulations concerning the
rates for the lifeline service tier. Such regula-
tions shall be designed to achieve the goals of—
‘‘(i) ensuring that rates for the lifeline
service tier are reasonable; and
‘‘(ii) promoting multichannel video
programming distribution competition.’’.
Æ