Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1998

Summary

Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1997 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe regulations to establish a class A license for qualifying low-power television (LPT) stations. Requires notification of LPT licensees of the availability of such license. Defines as a qualifying LPT station one which, within 24 months after the date of enactment of this Act and for six months prior to the filing of its class A application: (1) broadcast for at least 18 hours per day; (2) broadcast for an average of at least three hours weekly programming that was produced within the market area served by such station or the market area served by a group of commonly controlled stations that carry common local or specialized programming not otherwise available to their communities; and (3) complied with other requirements applicable to LPT stations and, after the date of its license application, complies with the FCC's operating rules for full power television stations. Allows the FCC to treat non-qualifying stations as LPT stations under this Act if public interest, convenience, and necessity would be so served. Provides that: (1) the FCC is not required to issue any additional licenses for advanced television services to the licensees of class A television stations; (2) the FCC shall approve such license applications proposing facilities that will not cause interference to any other broadcast facility authorized on the date of the filing of the class A advanced television application; and (3) no licensee of a class A television station shall be required to cease operations, or have a license rescinded or terminated, due to the implementation of amendments to the table of allotments adopted before the enactment of this Act. Allows the FCC to order such a cessation, rescission, or termination only after compliance with specified requirements.

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Documents

6 official files

• Reported to Senate (text)

  Reported to Senate · EN · 12 October 1998

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• Reported to Senate (PDF)

  Reported to Senate · EN · 12 October 1998

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• Reported to Senate with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 12 October 1998

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• Introduced in Senate (text)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 7 November 1997

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• Introduced in Senate (PDF)

  Introduced in Senate · EN · 7 November 1997

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• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 7 November 1997

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