Broadcasting Improvements Act of 1987

Summary

Broadcasting Improvements Act of 1987 - Title I: Renewal of Broadcast Licenses - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to supplement the criteria licensees must meet to renew radio and television licenses. Requires both radio and television stations to demonstrate that they have: (1) broadcast programming that is meritorious and responsive to the concerns of their service area's residents; (2) avoided willful or repeated failure to observe the Communications Act of 1934; and (3) continued to meet original license qualifications. Requires television stations to also demonstrate that their non-entertainment programming and programming directed toward children have responded to the concerns of the service area's residents. Requires the Federal Communications Commission to randomly select ten percent of the television applicants for license renewal for a more detailed review of programming. Prohibits the Commission, when renewing radio and television licenses, from considering competing applications. Directs the Commission to prescribe regulations requiring every licensee to maintain records of the concerns of service area residents, its programming responding to such concerns, and, for television stations, non-entertainment and children's programming. Prohibits the payment or promise of payment of any consideration by a license renewal applicant for the withholding of an informal objection to, or a petition to deny, a pending application for renewing a license. Title II: Broadcast Ownership Stability - Requires the Commission to deny an application for the assignment or transfer of control of any broadcast construction permit or license if the licensee or permittee has not operated the station on-air for three years, unless: (1) the application involves only an FM translator station or FM booster station; (2) the application involves a pro forma assignment or transfer of control; (3) the sale is necessitated by death or disability of station principals, financial distress, or other materially changed circumstances; and (4) the station is being transferred to an entity controlled by members of a minority group. Title III: Mandatory Carriage of Broadcast Signals - Instructs the Commission to eliminate the sunset provision of the rules requiring mandatory carriage of qualified television broadcast signals and to conduct a study on the impact of the rules on cable and over-the-air television. Title IV: Diversification in Ownership of Broadcast Stations - Codifies the preferences for making awards of broadcast licenses to minorities and females in comparative proceedings. Requires the Commission to award a substantial enhancement credit to any applicant controlled by one or more women who will be integrated into the daily management of the station. Requires the Commission to apply a greater enhancement credit to any applicant controlled by members of a minority group who will be integrated into the daily management of the station. Prohibits the Commission from eliminating the current policy of permitting entities controlled by members of minority groups to receive tax certificates for the sale of broadcast facilities and to acquire broadcast stations through distress sales. Prohibits the Commission from eliminating or altering its multiple ownership rules. Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions - Prohibits the Commission from reducing the number of VHF channels allocated to non-commercial educational television stations.

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1 official file

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 27 May 1987

  Open at official source

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