Public Telecommunications Act of 1981

Summary

Public Telecommunications Act of 1981 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to reduce the membership of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting from 15 to seven. Makes the President of the Corporation the Chairman of the Board. Reduces the term of office of each member from six to five years. Requires meetings of the Board to take place in Washington, D.C. Requires the Board members to elect annually a Vice Chairman (rather than a Chairman). Increases the rate of daily compensation, but places a ceiling on the amount of compensation any member may receive in any one fiscal year. Prohibits any Corporation officer except a Vice Chairman from receiving any compensation from any source other than the Corporation for services rendered during such officer's employment by the Corporation. Sets forth the purposes and authorized activities of the Corporation. Grants access to space satellite interconnection facilities or services to certain public telecommunications entities for the transmission of public audio and video programs. Eliminates the Public Broadcasting Fund and the formula for matching non-Federal financial support for the Corporation with authorized appropriations. Replaces such Fund and formula with an authorization of appropriations for fiscal years 1984 through 1986. Deletes the requirement that the Corporation certify to the Secretary of the Treasury the amount of non-Federal financial support received by public broadcasting entities. Retains the role of the Secretary as disburser of appropriations for the Corporation. Reformulates the percentage of funds disbursed by the Corporation among the licensees and permittees of public television and radio stations. Directs the Corporation to establish an annual budget of appropriated monies to make grants and contracts for the production and acquisition of public audio and video programs by independent producers, for distribution of funds among telecommunications entities, for research, and for promotion of projects designed to increase the role of minorities and women in public telecommunications. Retains the prohibition against the use of such funds for the Corporation's general administrative costs. Requires such budget for fiscal years 1981-1986 to consist of not less than 95 percent of such authorized funds. Limits for fiscal years 1981, and 1984-1986 the percentage of funds the Corporation may expend for other activities. Retains provisions requiring: (1) public meetings of the governing boards of certain public broadcast entities before distribution of such funds; (2) public disclosure by such entities of annual financial and audit reports; (3) annual review of the distribution of authorized funds; and (4) division of funds reserved for public broadcast stations between radio and television stations. Authorizes recipients of such funds to use such funds for purposes related exclusively to the production or acquisition of public audio or video programs. Requires a public telecommunications entity receiving unrelated business income related to station operations in any fiscal year to refund to the Corporation an equivalent amount. Limits the amount of any one basic program grant. Eliminates the prohibition against Corporation support for: (1) a public broadcast station which does not establish and maintain a community advisory board; and (2) specified public broadcasting entities unless those entities assure the Corporation that no officer or employee of such entities is paid above a specified amount. Requires each public telecommunications entity receiving funds from the Corporation to undergo a biannual rather than an annual audit. Amends the Corporation's role in matters related to the equal employment opportunity practices of recipients of Corporation funds. Prohibits only noncommercial educational broadcasting stations which receive a basic grant pursuant to such Act (rather than all such stations) from editorializing or supporting or opposing political candidates. Repeals the provision which requires recipients of Corporation funds to record certain programs. Authorizes appropriations for fiscal years 1982-1984 to be used in the planning and construction of public telecommunications facilities.

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

Timeline

1. 17 March 1981

   Referred

   Referred to Subcommittee on Communications.

   Source: Committee

2. 17 March 1981

   Introduced

   Read second time and referred to Senate Committee on Commerce.

   Source: IntroReferral

3. 17 March 1981

   Introduced

   Introduced in Senate

   Source: IntroReferral

4. 6 April 1981

   Committee

   Subcommittee on Communications. Hearings held.

   Source: Committee

5. 8 April 1981

   Committee

   Subcommittee on Communications. Hearings held.

   Source: Committee

6. 29 April 1981

   Reported

   Committee on Commerce. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

   Source: Committee

7. 15 May 1981

   Calendars

   Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Regular Orders. Calendar No. 122.

   Source: Calendars

8. 15 May 1981

   Reported

   Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator Packwood under the authority of the order of May 13, 81 favorably with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 97-98.

   Source: Committee

9. 15 May 1981

   Reported

   Committee on Commerce. Reported to Senate by Senator Packwood under the authority of the order of May 13, 81 favorably with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. With written report No. 97-98.

   Source: Committee

10. 4 November 1981

    Floor

    Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Voice Vote.

    Source: Floor

Votes

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Versions

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Documents

2 official files

• Reported to Senate with amendment(s)

  summary · EN · 15 May 1981

  Open at official source

• Introduced in Senate

  summary · EN · 17 March 1981

  Open at official source

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Sponsors

• Sen. Goldwater, Barry [R-AZ] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Packwood, Bob [R-OR] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Schmitt, Harrison H. [R-NM] · R · Sponsor
• Sen. Pressler, Larry [R-SD] · R · Sponsor
• · sscm00 · Standing

Related records

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