214 
gram-related material of a local television broadcast 
station described in paragraph (1) in any analog or 
digital format or formats, whether or not doing so re-
quires conversion from the format transmitted by the 
local television broadcast station, so long as— 
‘‘(A) the satellite carrier offers the primary 
video and program-related material in the con-
verted analog or digital format or formats with-
out material degradation; and 
‘‘(B) also offers the primary video and pro-
gram-related material in the manner or manners 
required by this paragraph. 
‘‘(4) 
TRANSITIONAL
CONVERSIONS.—Notwith-
standing any requirement in paragraph (1) or (2) to 
carry the primary video and program-related mate-
rial in the digital format transmitted by the local tel-
evision station, but subject to the prohibition on mate-
rial degradation, until February 17, 2014, a satellite 
carrier— 
‘‘(A) shall offer the primary video and pro-
gram-related material of any local television 
broadcast station required to be carried under 
paragraph (1) in the format or formats nec-
essary for such primary video and program-re-
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215 
lated material to be viewable on analog and dig-
ital televisions; and 
‘‘(B) may convert the primary video and 
program-related material to standard-definition 
digital format in lieu of offering it in the digital 
format transmitted by the local television sta-
tion. 
‘‘(5) LOCATION AND METHOD OF CONVERSION.— 
A satellite carrier may perform any conversion per-
mitted or required by this paragraph at any location, 
from the local receive facility to the customer prem-
ises, inclusive. 
‘‘(6) CONVERSIONS NOT TREATED AS DEGRADA-
TION.—Any conversion permitted or required by this 
paragraph shall not, by itself, be treated as a mate-
rial degradation. 
‘‘(7) CARRIAGE
OF
PROGRAM-RELATED
MATE-
RIAL.—The obligation to carry program-related mate-
rial under this paragraph is effective only to the ex-
tent technically feasible. 
‘‘(8) DEFINITION OF STANDARD-DEFINITION FOR-
MAT.—For purposes of this subsection, the primary 
video shall be in standard definition digital format if 
such primary video meets the criteria for such format 
specified in the standard recognized by the Commis-
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216 
sion in section 73.682 of its rules (47 C.F.R. 73.682) 
or a successor regulation. 
‘‘(9) MATERIAL DEGRADATION.—For purposes of 
this subsection, transmission of a digital signal over 
a satellite system in a compressed bitstream shall not 
be considered material degradation as long as such 
compression does not materially affect the picture 
quality the consumer receives.’’. 
SEC. 702. DIGITAL STREAM REQUIREMENT FOR THE BLIND. 
(a) RULES REINSTATED.—The video description rules 
of the Federal Communications Commission contained in 
the report and order identified as Implementation of Video 
Description of Video Programming, Report and Order, 15 
F.C.C.R. 15,230 (2000), shall, notwithstanding the decision 
of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of 
Columbia Circuit in Motion Picture Association of Amer-
ica, Inc., et al., v. Federal Communications Commission, 
et al. (309 F. 3d 796, November 8, 2002), be considered to 
be authorized and ratified by law. 
(b) CONTINUING AUTHORITY OF COMMISSION.—The 
Federal Communications Commission— 
(1) shall, within 45 days after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, republish its video description rules 
contained in the report and order Implementation of 
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