United States · Amendment · HAMDT

HAMDT 744 (102nd)

Amendment offered as a substitute to the Tauzin amendment (A008) sought to direct the FCC to prescribe regulations to prohibit any video programming vendor engaged in regional or national distribution of video programming from refusing to deal with any multichannel video system operator, if such refusal is determined to unreasonably restrain trade. The amendment exempts renewals or extensions of contracts that grant exclusive distribution rights entered into on or before June 1, 1990. The amendment also requires video programmers and other entities engaged in satellite broadcasting to make such signal reception directly available for private viewing by home satellite dish users. Satellite broadcasters would be required to establish reasonable and non-discriminatory financial, technical, and service requirements under which non-cable systems could distribute programming for home satellite viewing at competitive prices and terms to home satellite program distributors.