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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 1885 (100th)

Satellite Television Fair Marketing Act

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

31 March 1987

Last action

30 June 1988 · Committee

Status

Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended).

Sponsors

Rep. Tauzin, W. J. (Billy) [D-LA-3], Rep. Rose, Charlie [D-NC-7], Rep. Gregg, Judd [R-NH-2], Rep. Stangeland, Arlan [R-MN-7], Rep. Stallings, Richard H. [D-ID-2], Rep. Chapman, Jim [D-TX-1], Rep. Smith, Bob [R-NH-1], Rep. Robinson, Tommy F. [R-AR-2], Rep. Spratt, John M., Jr. [D-SC-5], Rep. Skelton, Ike [D-MO-4], Rep. Boucher, Rick [D-VA-9], Rep. Penny, Timothy J. [D-MN-1], Rep. Jones, Ed [D-TN-7], Rep. Clinger, William F., Jr. [R-PA-23], Rep. Ackerman, Gary L. [D-NY-7], Rep. Swift, Al [D-WA-2], Rep. Perkins, Carl C. [D-KY-7], JOHN LEWIS, Rep. Montgomery, G. V. (Sonny) [D-MS-3], Rep. Tallon, Robert M. (Robin) [D-SC-6], Rep. Sharp, Philip R. [D-IN-10], Rep. Williams, Pat [D-MT-1], Rep. Hammerschmidt, John P. [R-AR-3], Rep. Clarke, James McC. [D-NC-11], Rep. Schuette, Bill [R-MI-10], Rep. Gunderson, Steve [R-WI-3], Rep. Henry, Paul B. [R-MI-5], Rep. Wise, Robert E., Jr. [D-WV-3], Rep. Daub, Hal [R-NE-2], Rep. Rahall, Nick J., II [D-WV-4], Harold Rogers, Rep. Kildee, Dale E. [D-MI-7], Rep. Thomas, William M. [R-CA-20], Rep. Bosco, Douglas H. [D-CA-1], Rep. Hubbard, Carroll, Jr. [D-KY-1], PETER DEFAZIO, Rep. Wilson, Charles [D-TX-2], Rep. Craig, Larry E. [R-ID-1], Rep. Taylor, G. [R-MO-7], Rep. Nichols, Bill [D-AL-3], Rep. Bevill, Tom [D-AL-4], Rep. Lott, Trent [R-MS-5], Rep. Jenkins, Edgar L. [D-GA-9], Rep. Olin, James R. [D-VA-6], Rep. Hamilton, Lee H. [D-IN-9], Rep. Solomon, Gerald B. H. [R-NY-24], Rep. Volkmer, Harold L. [D-MO-9], Rep. Neal, Stephen L. [D-NC-5]

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

28 August 2025

Official sourceView documentsShare

Summary

Satellite Television Fair Marketing Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit the encrypting of satellite programming from the Public Broadcasting Service and the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. Requires anyone who encrypts satellite delivered programming for private viewing to: (1) make it available for private viewing by home satellite antenna users; (2) establish reasonable character and financial criteria for distributors of satellite delivered programming and not discriminate in prices, terms, or conditions among distributors offering similar distribution services; and (3) conduct such encryption according to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) - approved standards designed to comply with specified criteria. Requires the FCC-approved standards to provide the public interest benefits of a universal encryption system permitting decryption by cable television subscribers and home satellite users. Authorizes aggrieved persons to commence civil actions to enforce this Act. Requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to conduct a study of pricing and distribution terms of satellite television programming to determine whether the programming market is developing competitively. Authorizes the FTC to establish remedies necessary to produce adequate competition. Requires the FCC to begin a rulemaking proceeding on improving access to network signals for rural Americans.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 31 March 1987

    Introduced

    Referred to House Committee on Energy and Commerce.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 31 March 1987

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 31 March 1987

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 8 April 1987

    Referred

    Referred to Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.

    Source: Committee

  5. 1 July 1987

    Committee

    Subcommittee Hearings Held.

    Source: Committee

  6. 15 June 1988

    Committee

    Subcommittee Hearings Held.

    Source: Committee

  7. 29 June 1988

    Committee

    Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

  8. 30 June 1988

    Committee

    Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee (Amended).

    Source: Committee

  9. 30 June 1988

    Committee

    Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

No version snapshots stored. Document URLs remain at the source.

Documents

1 official file

Sponsors

Showing 48 of 134 sponsors and actors.

Related records

No cross-record relationships stored yet.

Sources

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