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A congressional subcommittee held an oversight hearing Tuesday addressing the Federal Communications Commission’s progress in setting rules for the upcoming incentive auction of television broadcast spectrum for mobile broadband use. On Monday, the FCC released a Public Notice addressing one aspect of those rules, which would govern how TV stations that do not sell their spectrum would be assigned new channels. This process is known as the “repacking” of the broadcast spectrum.

Also Tuesday, a Senate bill that would encourage cable and satellite operators to allow subscribers to purchase channels a la carte picked up its first Democratic co-sponsor, Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut.
Continue Reading SpectrumWatch: Congress, FCC Consider Options for TV Spectrum Repacking, Cable Pricing

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has published a notice in the Federal Register that the requirement to file an Annual Employment Report is effective immediately.  This requirement — entailing the filing of an FCC Form 395-A for multichannel video programming distribution systems (MVPDs) and an FCC Form 396-B for broadcasters — was adopted years ago…
Continue Reading Annual Employment Report Requirement For Broadcasters and MVPDs Back in Effect

Cable systems that have converted to all-digital transmission will be allowed to encrypt their basic-tier programming, the Federal Communications Commission decided last week. The FCC on Friday released its full Report and Order, which explained the decision and outlined transitional protections for existing subscribers who might be affected.

Background 

Previously, FCC rules prohibited cable operators from encrypting their basic-tier service, while allowing encryption on higher service tiers.  Cable operators typically encrypt most of their programming as a way of ensuring only paying subscribers have access. Subscribers can decrypt the signals with operator-provided set-top boxes or with third-party equipment that complies with the CableCARD technical standard.  The FCC’s prohibition on basic-tier encryption meant that subscribers could view basic-tier programming — usually consisting mostly of broadcast and public-access channels — on standard televisions simply by connecting the cable to the TV, without the need to lease or buy set-top boxes or other equipment.Continue Reading FCC Allows All-Digital Cable Systems to Encrypt Basic Tier

The Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”) has requested comments on a Petition for Reconsideration concerning the FCC’s commercial volume rules.  These rules, which implement the 2010 Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (“CALM”) Act, require television broadcasters, digital cable operators, and other digital multichannel video programming distributors to follow a technical standard that is designed to prevent television …
Continue Reading FCC Requests Comments on Petition for Reconsideration Regarding Commercial Volume Rules