Broadcast License Renewal Reform Act

Summary

Broadcast License Renewal Reform Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to provide: (1) that the term of any license, or the renewal thereof, for operation of a television broadcasting station may not exceed three years and of a radio broadcasting station may not exceed five years, and the term of any license, or the renewal thereof, for any other class of station may not exceed five years; and (2) that a license for a broadcasting station shall be deemed to have expired if a licensee proposes to substantially alter its programming format for a period longer than nine months. Directs the Federal Communications Commission to prescribe by rule, to the maximum extent possible, that the expirations of licenses within a particular State, city, or other locality within a State shall be distributed evenly within the license period. States that any license granted may be renewed in accordance with the standards set forth in the Act for the granting of an application if the Federal Communications Commission finds that the public interest, convenience, and necessity would be served by such renewal. Sets forth guidelines for the Commission to use in making such a determination. Requires specified information to be filed which is directly material to considerations affecting the granting or denial of a renewal application. Requires that the applicant make such information available for public inspection. Requires the Commission to provide discovery, regarding any matter not privileged and which is relevant to the granting or denial of an application, to a party in interest which has filed a petition to deny such application. Stipulates that the granting of an application for renewal without a hearing is permissible if: (1) the applicant has rendered substantial service as defined by the Act; and (2) there is no substantial deviation between the applicant's programming proposals for the most recent past license period and the programming broadcast during the most recent past license period. Requires the Commission to prescribe procedures to encourage licensees of broadcasting stations and persons raising significant issues regarding station operations to conduct good faith negotiations to resolve such issues. Provides for reimbursement of such persons if such negotiations result in an agreement approved by the Commission. Provides for reimbursement to persons, in specified circumstances, whenever their participation in a rulemaking proceeding of the Commission can reasonably be expected to promote a full and fair determination of the issues involved. Stipulates that if a hearing is designated on a renewal application and a substantial and material question of fact is presented, the applicant shall not be allowed to assign or transfer its license unless specified conditions are met. States that any party in interest may file a petition to revoke any license or construction permit. Directs the Commission to conduct a study to determine how to reduce the scarcity of broadcast frequencies and to further the goals of maximum feasible access of local communities to diverse sources of information and to economic competition among communications media.

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1 official file

• Introduced in House

  summary · EN · 6 April 1978

  Open at official source

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