WASHINGTON—Interested parties have about a month to make their comments known about the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding notification rules for cable and satellite TV providers, specifically transitioning the requirement of some paper notifications to email delivery. The FCC has set a comment deadline of Sept. 4; reply comments are then due by Sept. 19.
The FCC originally voted on the above NPRM on July 10, but it was published in the Federal Register as of Monday, Aug. 5., which adhering to the commission’s traditional deadlines of 30 and 45 days for comments and reply comments, sets the deadlines to the dates mentioned above.
Currently, upon starting service in a new market, or when deleting or repositioning a broadcast station, cable operators must notify broadcasters by mail, certified mail or hand delivery. This NPRM would allow for such notifications to be delivered over email to the station’s designated inbox according to its FCC filing. It also asks whether email delivery should be allowed for satellite MVPD notices to stations as well.
In addition, the NPRM seeks comment on how to extend email notifications to low-power stations without Class A status and certain noncommercial translator stations.
All comments must be filed according to the instructions provided in the NPRM, which is available in full on the FCC website.
