I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2536
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to reduce restrictions on media
ownership, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 17, 2001
Mr. STEARNS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to reduce
restrictions on media ownership, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Broadcast Ownership
for the 21st Century Act’’.
SEC. 2. CROSS-OWNERSHIP LIMITATIONS.
(a) RULE CHANGES REQUIRED.—The Federal Com-
munications Commission shall modify section 73.3555 of
its regulations (47 C.F.R. 73.3555) by eliminating any
provisions limiting the granting or renewal of an AM or
FM radio or television broadcast station license to any
party (including parties under common control) on the
basis of the ownership, operation, or control by such party
of a daily newspaper.
(b) CABLE CROSS-OWNERSHIP LIMITATIONS.—Sec-
tion 613(c) of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 533(c)) is amended—
(1) by inserting ‘‘(1)’’ after ‘‘(c)’’; and
(2) by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
‘‘(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the Commission
may not prohibit or limit a person or entity from holding
any form of ownership or other interest in a broadcasting
station and a cable system serving the same community.’’.
(c) DEADLINE FOR ACTIONS.—The Federal Commu-
nications Commission shall complete all actions necessary
to complete the modifications required by this section
within 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act.
SEC. 3. TELEVISION MULTIPLE OWNERSHIP.
Section 310 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47
U.S.C. 310) is amended by adding at the end the following
new subsection:
‘‘(f) NATIONAL AUDIENCE REACH CALCULATION.—
In calculating the national audience reach limitations for
television stations under the Commission’s regulations,
UHF television stations shall be attributed with no more
than 50 percent of the television households in their mar-
ket.’’.
SEC. 4. LIMITATION ON FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COM-
MISSION AUTHORITY.
(a) AMENDMENT.—Section 202(c)(1)(B) of the Tele-
communications Act of 1996 is amended by striking ‘‘35
percent’’ and inserting ‘‘45 percent’’.
(b) DEADLINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.—The Federal
Communications Commission shall amend its regulations
to implement the amendment made by subsection (a) with-
in 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act. In
amending such regulations, the Commission shall not re-
vise section 73.3555(e)(2)(i) of its regulations (47 C.F.R.
73.3555(e)(2)(i)).
SEC. 5. MULTIPLE TELEVISION STATION OWNERSHIP.
(a) LOCAL
TELEVISION
MULTIPLE
OWNERSHIP
RULE CHANGES REQUIRED.—The Federal Communica-
tions Commission shall revise its rule for local television
multiple ownership set forth in section 73.3555(b) of its
regulations (47 C.F.R. 73.3555(b)) to permit a person or
entity to directly or indirectly own, operate, or control two
television stations in the same designated market area if—
(1) the grade B contours of such stations do
not overlap; or
(2) the grade B contours of such stations do
overlap and at least 6 independent broadcast or
cable television voices would remain in the des-
ignated market area after the transfer of ownership,
operation, or control of the license of the stations in
question.
(b) INDEPENDENT VOICES.—In making the revision
required by subsection (a), the Commission shall deter-
mine the number of independent broadcast or cable tele-
vision voices that would remain as follows:
(1) BROADCAST TV STATIONS.—Each independ-
ently owned and operating full power broadcast tele-
vision station within the designated market area
shall be counted as one independent voice.
(2) ONE CABLE SYSTEM COUNTED.—Regardless
of how many individual cable systems operate in the
designated market area, if cable television is gen-
erally available to households in the area, cable tele-
vision shall be treated as one independent voice.
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