DIS » Topics » Federal Regulation

This excerpt taken from the DIS 10-K filed Dec 2, 2009.

Federal Regulation

Television and radio broadcasting are subject to extensive regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under federal laws and regulations, including the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Violation of FCC regulations can result in substantial monetary forfeitures, limited renewals of licenses and, in egregious cases, denial of license renewal or revocation of a license. FCC regulations that affect our Media Networks segment include the following:

 

   

Licensing of television and radio stations. Each of the television and radio stations we own must be licensed by the FCC. These licenses are granted for periods of up to eight years, and we must obtain renewal of licenses as they expire in order to continue operating the stations. We (or the acquiring entity in the case of a divestiture) must also obtain FCC approval whenever we seek to have a license transferred in connection with the acquisition or divestiture of a station. The FCC may decline to renew or approve the transfer of a license in certain circumstances. Although we have generally received such renewals and approvals in the past, there can be no assurance that we will always obtain necessary renewals and approvals in the future.

 

   

Television and radio station ownership limits. The FCC imposes limitations on the number of television stations and radio stations we can own in a specific market, on the combined number of television and radio stations we can own in a single market and on the aggregate percentage of the national audience that can be reached by television stations we own. Currently:

 

   

FCC regulations may restrict our ability to own more than one television station in a market, depending on the size and nature of the market. We do not own more than one television station in any of the ten markets in which we own a television station.

 

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Federal statutes permit our television stations in the aggregate to reach a maximum of 39% of the national audience (for this purpose, FCC regulations attribute to UHF television stations only 50% of the television households in their market). For purposes of the FCC’s rules, our 10 stations reach approximately 23% of the national audience.

 

   

FCC regulations in some cases impose restrictions on our ability to acquire additional radio or television stations in the markets in which we own radio stations, but we do not believe any such limitations are material to our current operating plans.

 

   

Dual networks. FCC rules currently prohibit any of the four major television networks – ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC – from being under common ownership or control.

 

   

Regulation of programming. The FCC regulates broadcast programming by, among other things, banning “indecent” programming, regulating political advertising and imposing commercial time limits during children’s programming. Broadcasters face a heightened risk of being found in violation of the indecency prohibition by the FCC because of recent FCC decisions, coupled with the spontaneity of live programming. In the past several years, the FCC increased enforcement activities with respect to indecency, and a number of significant indecency cases against various broadcasters remain pending in the courts. Moreover, Congress recently increased penalties for broadcasting indecent programming to a maximum of $325,000 per violation.

Federal legislation and FCC rules also limit the amount of commercial matter that may be shown on broadcast or cable channels during programming designed for children 12 years of age and younger. In addition, broadcast channels are generally required to provide a minimum of three hours per week of programming that has as a “significant purpose” meeting the educational and informational needs of children 16 years of age and younger. FCC rules also give television station owners the right to reject or refuse network programming in certain circumstances or to substitute programming that the licensee reasonably believes to be of greater local or national importance.

 

   

Cable and satellite carriage of broadcast television stations. With respect to cable systems operating within a television station’s Designated Market Area, FCC rules require that every three years each television station elect either “must carry” status, pursuant to which cable operators generally must carry a local television station in the station’s market, or “retransmission consent” status, pursuant to which the cable operator must negotiate with the television station to obtain the consent of the television station prior to carrying its signal. Under the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act and its successor, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act, satellite carriers are permitted to retransmit a local television station’s signal into its local market with the consent of the local television station. Under must carry, if a satellite carrier elects to carry one local station in a market, the satellite carrier must carry the signals of all local television stations that also request carriage. Certain of the satellite carriage provisions are set to expire on December 31, 2009, although legislation is pending that would continue many of the relevant provisions.

 

   

Digital television. All of the Company’s stations now operate exclusively on digital channels, and we are evaluating various options with respect to use of digital capabilities.

 

   

Cable and Satellite Carriage of Programming. The Communications Act and FCC rules regulate some aspects of negotiations regarding cable and satellite retransmission consent, and some cable and satellite companies have sought regulation of additional aspects of the carriage of programming on cable and satellite systems. Litigation has been instituted against the Company, other program providers and distributors seeking among other things to achieve similar ends. New legislation, court action or regulation in this area could, depending on its specific nature, have an impact on the Company’s operations.

The foregoing is a brief summary of certain provisions of the Communications Act and other legislation and of specific FCC rules and policies. Reference should be made to the Communications Act, other legislation, FCC rules and public notices and rulings of the FCC for further information concerning the nature and extent of the FCC’s regulatory authority.

FCC laws and regulations are subject to change, and the Company generally cannot predict whether new legislation, court action or regulations, or a change in the extent of application or enforcement of current laws and regulations, would have an adverse impact on our operations.

 

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This excerpt taken from the DIS 8-K filed Feb 3, 2009.

Federal Regulation

Television and radio broadcasting are subject to extensive regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under federal laws and regulations, including the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Violation of FCC regulations can result in substantial monetary forfeitures, limited renewals of licenses and, in egregious cases, denial of license renewal or revocation of a license. FCC regulations that affect our Media Networks segment include the following:

 

   

Licensing of television and radio stations. Each of the television and radio stations we own must be licensed by the FCC. These licenses are granted for periods of up to eight years, and we must obtain renewal of licenses as they expire in order to continue operating the stations. We (or the acquiring entity in the case of a divestiture) must also obtain FCC approval whenever we seek to have a license transferred in connection with the acquisition or divestiture of a station. The FCC may decline to renew or approve the transfer of a license in certain circumstances. Although we have generally received such renewals and approvals in the past, there can be no assurance that we will always obtain necessary renewals and approvals in the future.

 

   

Television and radio station ownership limits. The FCC imposes limitations on the number of television stations and radio stations we can own in a specific market, on the combined number of television and radio stations we can own in a single market and on the aggregate percentage of the national audience that can be reached by television stations we own. Currently:

 

   

FCC regulations may restrict our ability to own more than one television station in a market, depending on the size and nature of the market. We do not own more than one television station in any of the ten markets in which we own a television station.

 

   

Federal statutes permit our television stations in the aggregate to reach a maximum of 39% of the national audience (for this purpose, FCC regulations attribute to UHF television stations only 50% of the television households in their market). Our stations reach approximately 23% of the national audience.

 

   

FCC regulations in some cases impose restrictions on our ability to acquire additional radio or television stations in the markets in which we own radio stations, but we do not believe any such limitations are material to our current operating plans.

 

   

Dual networks. FCC rules currently prohibit any of the four major television networks — ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC — from being under common ownership or control.

 

   

Regulation of programming. The FCC regulates broadcast programming by, among other things, banning “indecent” programming, regulating political advertising and imposing commercial time limits during children’s programming. Broadcasters face a heightened risk of being found in violation of the indecency prohibition by the FCC because of recent FCC decisions, coupled with the spontaneity of live programming. The FCC has indicated that it is increasing enforcement activities with respect to indecency, and has indicated it would consider license revocation for serious violations. Moreover, Congress recently increased penalties for broadcasting indecent programming to a maximum of $325,000 per violation.

Federal legislation and FCC rules also limit the amount of commercial matter that may be shown on broadcast or cable channels during programming designed for children 12 years of age and younger. In addition, broadcast channels are generally required to provide a minimum of three hours per week of programming that has as a “significant purpose” meeting the educational and informational needs of children 16 years of age and younger. FCC rules also give television station owners the right to reject or refuse network programming in certain circumstances or to substitute programming that the licensee reasonably believes to be of greater local or national importance.

 

   

Cable and satellite carriage of broadcast television stations. With respect to cable systems operating within a television station’s Designated Market Area, FCC rules require that every three years each television station elect either “must carry” status, pursuant to which cable operators generally must carry a local television station in the station’s market, or “retransmission consent” status, pursuant to which the cable operator must negotiate with the television station to obtain the consent of the television station prior to carrying its signal. Under the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act and its successor, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act, satellite carriers are permitted to retransmit a local television station’s signal into its local market with the consent of the local television station. Under must carry, if a satellite carrier elects to carry one local station in a market, the satellite carrier must carry the signals of all local television stations that also request carriage. Certain of the satellite carriage provisions are set to expire on December 31, 2009.

 

7


   

Digital television. FCC rules currently require full-power analog television stations, such as ours, to provide digital service on a second broadcast channel granted specifically for the phase-in of digital broadcasting. FCC rules also regulate digital broadcasting to ensure continued quality carriage of mandated free over-the-air program service. All of the Company’s stations have launched digital facilities, and we are evaluating various options with respect to use of digital channels. All broadcasters are required to operate exclusively in digital mode and permanently surrender one of their two channels by February 17, 2009, unless this date is delayed by legislation.

 

   

Cable and Satellite Carriage of Programming. The Communications Act and FCC rules regulate some aspects of negotiations regarding cable and satellite retransmission consent and some cable and satellite companies have sought regulation of additional aspects of the carriage of programming on cable and satellite systems. Litigation has been instituted against the Company, other program providers and distributors seeking among other things to achieve similar ends. New legislation, court action or regulation in this area could, depending on its specific nature, have an impact on the Company’s operations.

The foregoing is a brief summary of certain provisions of the Communications Act and other legislation and of specific FCC rules and policies. Reference should be made to the Communications Act, other legislation, FCC rules and public notices and rulings of the FCC for further information concerning the nature and extent of the FCC’s regulatory authority.

FCC laws and regulations are subject to change, and the Company generally cannot predict whether new legislation, court action or regulations, or a change in the extent of application or enforcement of current laws and regulations, would have an adverse impact on our operations.

These excerpts taken from the DIS 10-K filed Nov 20, 2008.

Federal Regulation

Television and radio broadcasting are subject to extensive regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under federal laws and regulations, including the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Violation of FCC regulations can result in substantial monetary forfeitures, limited renewals of licenses and, in egregious cases, denial of license renewal or revocation of a license. FCC regulations that affect our Media Networks segment include the following:

 

   

Licensing of television and radio stations. Each of the television and radio stations we own must be licensed by the FCC. These licenses are granted for periods of up to eight years, and we must obtain renewal of licenses as they expire in order to continue operating the stations. We (or the acquiring entity in the case of a divestiture) must also obtain FCC approval whenever we seek to have a license transferred in connection with the acquisition or divestiture of a station. The FCC may decline to renew or approve the transfer of a license in certain circumstances. Although we have generally received such renewals and approvals in the past, there can be no assurance that we will always obtain necessary renewals and approvals in the future.

 

   

Television and radio station ownership limits. The FCC imposes limitations on the number of television stations and radio stations we can own in a specific market, on the combined number of television and radio stations we can own in a single market and on the aggregate percentage of the national audience that can be reached by television stations we own. Currently:

 

   

FCC regulations may restrict our ability to own more than one television station in a market, depending on the size and nature of the market. We do not own more than one television station in any of the ten markets in which we own a television station.

 

   

Federal statutes permit our television stations in the aggregate to reach a maximum of 39% of the national audience (for this purpose, FCC regulations attribute to UHF television stations only 50% of the television households in their market). Our stations reach approximately 23% of the national audience.

 

   

FCC regulations in some cases impose restrictions on our ability to acquire additional radio or television stations in the markets in which we own radio stations, but we do not believe any such limitations are material to our current operating plans.

 

   

Dual networks. FCC rules currently prohibit any of the four major television networks – ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC – from being under common ownership or control.

 

   

Regulation of programming. The FCC regulates broadcast programming by, among other things, banning “indecent” programming, regulating political advertising and imposing commercial time limits during children’s programming. Broadcasters face a heightened risk of being found in violation of the indecency prohibition by the FCC because of recent FCC decisions, coupled with the spontaneity of live programming. The FCC has indicated that it is increasing enforcement activities with respect to indecency, and has indicated it would consider license revocation for serious violations. Moreover, Congress recently increased penalties for broadcasting indecent programming to a maximum of $325,000 per violation.

Federal legislation and FCC rules also limit the amount of commercial matter that may be shown on broadcast or cable channels during programming designed for children 12 years of age and younger. In addition, broadcast channels are generally required to provide a minimum of three hours per week of programming that has as a “significant purpose” meeting the educational and informational needs of children 16 years of age and younger. FCC rules also give television station owners the right to reject or refuse network programming in certain circumstances or to substitute programming that the licensee reasonably believes to be of greater local or national importance.

 

   

Cable and satellite carriage of broadcast television stations. With respect to cable systems operating within a television station’s Designated Market Area, FCC rules require that every three years each television station elect either “must carry” status, pursuant to which cable operators generally must carry a local television station in the station’s market, or “retransmission consent” status, pursuant to which the cable operator must

 

8


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negotiate with the television station to obtain the consent of the television station prior to carrying its signal. Under the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act and its successor, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act, satellite carriers are permitted to retransmit a local television station’s signal into its local market with the consent of the local television station. Under must carry, if a satellite carrier elects to carry one local station in a market, the satellite carrier must carry the signals of all local television stations that also request carriage. Certain of the satellite carriage provisions are set to expire on December 31, 2009.

 

   

Digital television. FCC rules currently require full-power analog television stations, such as ours, to provide digital service on a second broadcast channel granted specifically for the phase-in of digital broadcasting. FCC rules also regulate digital broadcasting to ensure continued quality carriage of mandated free over-the-air program service. All of the Company’s stations have launched digital facilities, and we are evaluating various options with respect to use of digital channels. All broadcasters are required to operate exclusively in digital mode and permanently surrender one of their two channels by February 17, 2009.

 

   

Cable and Satellite Carriage of Programming. The Communications Act and FCC rules regulate some aspects of negotiations regarding cable and satellite retransmission consent and some cable and satellite companies have sought regulation of additional aspects of the carriage of programming on cable and satellite systems. Litigation has been instituted against the Company, other program providers and distributors seeking among other things to achieve similar ends. New legislation, court action or regulation in this area could, depending on its specific nature, have an impact on the Company’s operations.

The foregoing is a brief summary of certain provisions of the Communications Act and other legislation and of specific FCC rules and policies. Reference should be made to the Communications Act, other legislation, FCC rules and public notices and rulings of the FCC for further information concerning the nature and extent of the FCC’s regulatory authority.

FCC laws and regulations are subject to change, and the Company generally cannot predict whether new legislation, court action or regulations, or a change in the extent of application or enforcement of current laws and regulations, would have an adverse impact on our operations.

Federal Regulation

FACE="Times New Roman" SIZE="2">Television and radio broadcasting are subject to extensive regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under federal laws and regulations, including the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Violation
of FCC regulations can result in substantial monetary forfeitures, limited renewals of licenses and, in egregious cases, denial of license renewal or revocation of a license. FCC regulations that affect our Media Networks segment include the
following:

 







  

Licensing of television and radio stations. Each of the television and radio stations we own must be licensed by the FCC. These licenses are granted for
periods of up to eight years, and we must obtain renewal of licenses as they expire in order to continue operating the stations. We (or the acquiring entity in the case of a divestiture) must also obtain FCC approval whenever we seek to have a
license transferred in connection with the acquisition or divestiture of a station. The FCC may decline to renew or approve the transfer of a license in certain circumstances. Although we have generally received such renewals and approvals in the
past, there can be no assurance that we will always obtain necessary renewals and approvals in the future.

 







  

Television and radio station ownership limits. The FCC imposes limitations on the number of television stations and radio stations we can own in a specific
market, on the combined number of television and radio stations we can own in a single market and on the aggregate percentage of the national audience that can be reached by television stations we own. Currently:

STYLE="font-size:12px;margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"> 







  

FCC regulations may restrict our ability to own more than one television station in a market, depending on the size and nature of the market. We do not own more
than one television station in any of the ten markets in which we own a television station.

 







  

Federal statutes permit our television stations in the aggregate to reach a maximum of 39% of the national audience (for this purpose, FCC regulations attribute to
UHF television stations only 50% of the television households in their market). Our stations reach approximately 23% of the national audience.

 







  

FCC regulations in some cases impose restrictions on our ability to acquire additional radio or television stations in the markets in which we own radio stations,
but we do not believe any such limitations are material to our current operating plans.

 







  

Dual networks. FCC rules currently prohibit any of the four major television networks – ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC – from being under common ownership
or control.

 







  

Regulation of programming. The FCC regulates broadcast programming by, among other things, banning “indecent” programming, regulating political
advertising and imposing commercial time limits during children’s programming. Broadcasters face a heightened risk of being found in violation of the indecency prohibition by the FCC because of recent FCC decisions, coupled with the spontaneity
of live programming. The FCC has indicated that it is increasing enforcement activities with respect to indecency, and has indicated it would consider license revocation for serious violations. Moreover, Congress recently increased penalties for
broadcasting indecent programming to a maximum of $325,000 per violation.

Federal legislation and FCC rules also limit
the amount of commercial matter that may be shown on broadcast or cable channels during programming designed for children 12 years of age and younger. In addition, broadcast channels are generally required to provide a minimum of three hours per
week of programming that has as a “significant purpose” meeting the educational and informational needs of children 16 years of age and younger. FCC rules also give television station owners the right to reject or refuse network
programming in certain circumstances or to substitute programming that the licensee reasonably believes to be of greater local or national importance.

 







  

Cable and satellite carriage of broadcast television stations. With respect to cable systems operating within a television station’s Designated Market
Area, FCC rules require that every three years each television station elect either “must carry” status, pursuant to which cable operators generally must carry a local television station in the station’s market, or
“retransmission consent” status, pursuant to which the cable operator must

 


8







Table of Contents






 


negotiate with the television station to obtain the consent of the television station prior to carrying its signal. Under the Satellite Home Viewer
Improvement Act and its successor, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act, satellite carriers are permitted to retransmit a local television station’s signal into its local market with the consent of the local television
station. Under must carry, if a satellite carrier elects to carry one local station in a market, the satellite carrier must carry the signals of all local television stations that also request carriage. Certain of the satellite carriage provisions
are set to expire on December 31, 2009.

 







  

Digital television. FCC rules currently require full-power analog television stations, such as ours, to provide digital service on a second broadcast channel
granted specifically for the phase-in of digital broadcasting. FCC rules also regulate digital broadcasting to ensure continued quality carriage of mandated free over-the-air program service. All of the Company’s stations have launched digital
facilities, and we are evaluating various options with respect to use of digital channels. All broadcasters are required to operate exclusively in digital mode and permanently surrender one of their two channels by February 17, 2009.

 







  

Cable and Satellite Carriage of Programming. The Communications Act and FCC rules regulate some aspects of negotiations regarding cable and satellite
retransmission consent and some cable and satellite companies have sought regulation of additional aspects of the carriage of programming on cable and satellite systems. Litigation has been instituted against the Company, other program providers and
distributors seeking among other things to achieve similar ends. New legislation, court action or regulation in this area could, depending on its specific nature, have an impact on the Company’s operations.

STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:5%">The foregoing is a brief summary of certain provisions of the Communications Act and other legislation and of specific FCC rules and policies. Reference
should be made to the Communications Act, other legislation, FCC rules and public notices and rulings of the FCC for further information concerning the nature and extent of the FCC’s regulatory authority.

STYLE="margin-top:12px;margin-bottom:0px; text-indent:5%">FCC laws and regulations are subject to change, and the Company generally cannot predict whether new legislation, court action or regulations, or a
change in the extent of application or enforcement of current laws and regulations, would have an adverse impact on our operations.

This excerpt taken from the DIS 10-K filed Nov 21, 2007.

Federal Regulation

Television and radio broadcasting are subject to extensive regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under federal laws and regulations, including the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Violation of FCC regulations can result in substantial monetary forfeitures, limited renewals of licenses and, in egregious cases, denial of license renewal or revocation of a license. FCC regulations that affect our Media Networks segment include the following:

 

   

Licensing of television and radio stations. Each of the television and radio stations we own must be licensed by the FCC. These licenses are granted for periods of up to eight years, and we must obtain renewal of licenses as they expire in order to continue operating the stations. We (or the acquiring entity in the case of a divestiture) must also obtain FCC approval whenever we seek to have a license transferred in connection with the acquisition or divestiture of a station. The FCC may decline to renew or approve the transfer of a license in certain circumstances. Although we have generally received such renewals and approvals in the past, there can be no assurance that we will always obtain necessary renewals and approvals in the future.

 

   

Television and radio station ownership limits. The FCC imposes limitations on the number of television stations and radio stations we can own in a specific market, on the combined number of television and radio stations we can own in a single market and on the aggregate percentage of the national audience that can be reached by television stations we own. Currently:

 

   

FCC regulations may restrict our ability to own more than one television station in a market, depending on the size and nature of the market. We do not own more than one television station in any of the ten markets in which we own a television station.

 

   

Federal statutes permit our television stations in the aggregate to reach a maximum of 39% of the national audience (for this purpose, FCC regulations attribute to UHF television stations only 50% of the television households in their market). Our stations reach approximately 24% of the national audience (approximately 23% when calculated using the FCC’s UHF discount).

 

   

FCC regulations in some cases impose restrictions on our ability to acquire additional radio or television stations in the markets in which we own radio stations, but we do not believe any such limitations are material to our current operating plans.

In July 2003, the FCC adopted revised limits on television and radio station ownership. The rules adopted generally would have relaxed existing ownership restrictions and permitted entities to own more television and radio stations in some markets. They also would have eliminated the 50% discount for calculating households reached by UHF television stations operated by the top four broadcast television networks (including ABC). The new rules, however, were challenged in federal court and were remanded by the court to the FCC to review the rules. As a result,

 

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most of the revised rules adopted by the FCC in July 2003 are not in effect. The FCC has initiated a rulemaking in response to the court remand to re-evaluate these rules in light of the court decision. Although it is possible that the FCC may implement more liberal media ownership rules than those currently in effect (other than those governed by statute), we cannot predict whether the revised rules will be implemented and if so, when such rules will become effective.

 

   

Dual networks. FCC rules currently prohibit any of the four major television networks – ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC – from being under common ownership or control.

 

   

Regulation of programming. The FCC regulates programming by, among other things, banning “indecent” programming, regulating political advertising and imposing commercial time limits during children’s programming. Broadcasters face a heightened risk of being found in violation of the indecency prohibition by the FCC because of recent FCC decisions, coupled with the spontaneity of live programming. Recently, the FCC has indicated that it is increasing enforcement activities with respect to indecency, and has indicated it would consider license revocation for serious violations. Moreover, Congress recently increased penalties for broadcasting indecent programming to a maximum of $325,000 per violation.

Federal legislation and FCC rules also limit the amount of commercial matter that may be shown on broadcast or cable channels during programming designed for children 12 years of age and younger. In addition, broadcast channels are generally required to provide a minimum of three hours per week of programming that has as a “significant purpose” meeting the educational and informational needs of children 16 years of age and younger. FCC rules also give television station owners the right to reject or refuse network programming in certain circumstances or to substitute programming that the licensee reasonably believes to be of greater local or national importance.

 

   

Cable and satellite carriage of broadcast television stations. With respect to cable systems operating within a television station’s Designated Market Area, FCC rules require that every three years each television station elect either “must carry” status, pursuant to which cable operators generally must carry a local television station in the station’s market, or “retransmission consent” status, pursuant to which the cable operator must negotiate with the television station to obtain the consent of the television station prior to carrying its signal. Under the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act and its successor, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act, satellite carriers are permitted to retransmit a local television station’s signal into its local market with the consent of the local television station. If a satellite carrier elects to carry one local station in a market, the satellite carrier must carry the signals of all local television stations that also request carriage. Certain of the satellite carriage provisions are set to expire on December 31, 2009.

 

   

Digital television. FCC rules currently require full-power analog television stations, such as ours, to provide digital service on a second broadcast channel granted specifically for the phase-in of digital broadcasting. FCC rules also regulate digital broadcasting to ensure continued quality carriage of mandated free over-the-air program service. All of the Company’s stations have launched digital facilities, and we are evaluating various options with respect to use of digital channels. Under a recently-enacted statute, all broadcasters are required to operate exclusively in digital mode and permanently surrender one of their two channels by February 17, 2009.

The foregoing is a brief summary of certain provisions of the Communications Act and other legislation and of specific FCC rules and policies. This summary focuses on provisions material to our business. Reference should be made to the Communications Act, other legislation, FCC rules and public notices and rulings of the FCC for further information concerning the nature and extent of the FCC’s regulatory authority.

FCC laws and regulations are subject to change, and the Company generally cannot predict whether new legislation, court action or regulations, or a change in the extent of application or enforcement of current laws and regulations, would have an adverse impact on our operations.

This excerpt taken from the DIS 10-K filed Nov 22, 2006.

Federal Regulation

Television and radio broadcasting are subject to extensive regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under Federal laws and regulations, including the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Violation of FCC regulations can result in substantial monetary forfeitures, limited renewals of licenses and, in egregious cases, denial of license renewal or revocation of a license. FCC regulations that affect our Media Networks segment include the following:

 

    Licensing of television and radio stations. Each of the television and radio stations we own must be licensed by the FCC. These licenses are granted for periods of up to eight years, and we must obtain renewal of licenses as they expire in order to continue operating the stations. We (or the acquiring entity in the case of a divestiture) must also obtain FCC approval whenever we seek to have a license transferred in connection with the acquisition or divestiture of a station. The FCC may decline to renew or approve the transfer of a license in certain circumstances. Although we have generally received such renewals and approvals in the past, there can be no assurance that we will always obtain necessary renewals and approvals in the future.

 

    Television and radio station ownership limits. The FCC imposes limitations on the number of television stations and radio stations we can own in a specific market, on the combined number of television and radio stations we can own in a single market and on the aggregate percentage of the national audience that can be reached by television stations we own. Currently:

 

    FCC regulations may restrict our ability to own more than one television station in a market, depending on the size and nature of the market. We do not own more than one television station in any of the ten markets in which we own a television station.

 

    Federal statutes permit our television stations in the aggregate to reach a maximum of 39% of the national audience (For this purpose, FCC regulations attribute to UHF television stations only 50% of the television households in their market). Our stations reach approximately 24% of the national audience (approximately 23% when calculated using the FCC’s attribution rules).

 

    FCC regulations in some cases impose restrictions on our ability to acquire additional radio or television stations in the markets in which we own radio stations, but we do not believe any such limitations are material to our current operating plans.

In July 2003, the FCC adopted revised limits on television and radio station ownership. The rules adopted generally would have relaxed existing ownership restrictions and permitted entities to own more television and radio stations in some markets. They also would have eliminated the 50% discount for calculating households reached by UHF television stations operated by the top four broadcast television networks (including ABC). The new rules, however, were challenged in federal court and were remanded by the court to the FCC to review the rules. As a

 

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result, most of the revised rules adopted by the FCC in July 2003 are not in effect. This year, the FCC initiated a rulemaking in response to the court remand to re-evaluate these rules in light of the court decision. Although it is possible that the FCC may implement more liberal media ownership rules than those currently in effect (other than those governed by statute), we cannot predict whether the revised rules will be implemented and if so, when such rules will become effective.

 

    Dual networks. FCC rules currently prohibit any of the four major television networks — ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC — from being under common ownership or control.

 

    Regulation of programming. The FCC regulates programming by, among other things, banning “indecent” programming, regulating political advertising, and imposing commercial time limits during children’s programming. Broadcasters face a heightened risk of being found in violation of the indecency prohibition by the FCC because of recent FCC decisions, coupled with the spontaneity of live programming. Recently, the FCC has indicated that it is stepping up enforcement activities as they apply to indecency, and has indicated it would consider license revocation for serious violations. Moreover, legislation has been introduced in Congress that would increase penalties for broadcasting indecent programming.

 

     Federal legislation and FCC rules also limit the amount of commercial matter that may be shown on broadcast or cable channels during programming designed for children 12 years of age and younger. In addition, broadcast channels are generally required to provide a minimum of three hours per week of programming that has as a “significant purpose” meeting the educational and informational needs of children 16 years of age and younger. FCC rules also give television station owners the right to reject or refuse network programming in certain circumstances or to substitute programming that the licensee reasonably believes to be of greater local or national importance.

 

    Cable and satellite carriage of broadcast television stations. With respect to cable systems operating within a television station’s Designated Market Area, FCC rules require that every three years each television station elect either “must carry” status, pursuant to which cable operators generally must carry a local television station in the station’s market, or “retransmission consent” status, pursuant to which the cable operator must negotiate with the television station to obtain the consent of the television station prior to carrying its signal. Under the Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act and its successor, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act, satellite carriers are permitted to retransmit a local television station’s signal into its local market with the consent of the local television station. If a satellite carrier elects to carry one local station in a market, the satellite carrier must carry the signals of all local television stations that also request carriage. Certain of the satellite carriage provisions are set to expire on December 31, 2009.

 

    Digital television. FCC rules currently require full-power analog television stations, such as ours, to provide digital service on a second broadcast channel granted specifically for the phase-in of digital broadcasting. FCC rules also regulate digital broadcasting to ensure continued quality carriage of mandated free over-the-air program service. All of the Company’s stations have launched digital facilities, and we are evaluating various options with respect to use of digital channels. Under a recently-enacted statute, all broadcasters are required to operate exclusively in digital mode and permanently surrender one of their two channels by February 17, 2009.

The foregoing is a brief summary of certain provisions of the Communications Act and other legislation and of specific FCC rules and policies. This summary focuses on provisions material to our business. Reference should be made to the Communications Act, other legislation, FCC rules and public notices and rulings of the FCC for further information concerning the nature and extent of the FCC’s regulatory authority.

FCC laws and regulations are subject to change, and the Company generally cannot predict whether new legislation, court action or regulations, or a change in the extent of application or enforcement of current laws and regulations, would have an adverse impact on our operations.

 

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Table of Contents
This excerpt taken from the DIS 10-K filed Dec 7, 2005.
Federal Regulation
      Television and radio broadcasting are subject to extensive regulation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) under Federal laws and regulations, including the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. Violation of FCC regulations can result in substantial monetary forfeitures, limited renewals of licenses and, in egregious cases, denial of license renewal or revocation of a license. FCC regulations that affect our Media Networks segment include the following:

  •  Licensing of television and radio stations. Each of the television and radio stations we own must be licensed by the FCC. These licenses are granted for periods of up to eight years, and we must obtain renewal of licenses as they expire in order to continue operating the stations. We (or the acquiring entity in the case of a divestiture) must also obtain FCC approval whenever we seek to have a license transferred in connection with the acquisition or divestiture of a station. The FCC may decline to renew or approve the transfer of a license in certain circumstances. Although we have generally received such renewals and approvals in the past, there can be no assurance that we will always obtain necessary renewals and approvals in the future.
 
  •  Television and radio station ownership limits. The FCC imposes limitations on the number of television stations and radio stations we can own in a specific market, on the combined number

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  of television and radio stations we can own in a single market and on the aggregate percentage of the national audience that can be reached by television stations we own. Currently:

  •  FCC regulations presently permit us to own an additional television station in all of the markets in which we have television stations except Toledo, Ohio; Flint, Michigan; and Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. We do not own more than one television station in any of the ten markets in which we own a television station.
 
  •  Federal statutes permit our television stations in the aggregate to reach a maximum of 39% of the national audience (FCC regulations attribute to UHF television stations only 50% of the television households in their market). Our stations reach approximately 24% of the national audience (approximately 23% when calculated using the FCC’s attribution rule).
 
  •  FCC regulations in some cases impose restrictions on our ability to acquire additional radio or television stations in the markets in which we own radio stations, but we do not believe any such limitations are material to our current operating plans.

In July 2003, the FCC adopted revised limits on television and radio station ownership. The rules adopted generally would relax existing ownership restrictions and would permit entities to own more television and radio stations in some markets, but would also eliminate the 50% discount for calculating households reached by UHF television stations operated by the top four broadcast television networks (including ABC). The new rules, however, were challenged in federal court and were remanded by the court to the FCC to review the rules. As a result, most of the revised rules adopted by the FCC in July 2003 are not in effect. Although it is possible that the FCC may implement more liberal media ownership rules than those currently in effect (other than those governed by statute), we cannot predict whether the revised rules will be implemented and if so, when such rules will become effective.

  •  Dual networks. FCC rules currently prohibit any of the four major television networks – ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC – from being under common ownership or control. The new FCC rules, if implemented, would not modify this limitation.
 
  •  Regulation of programming. The FCC regulates programming by, among other things, banning “indecent” programming, regulating political advertising, and imposing commercial time limits during children’s programming. Broadcasters face a heightened risk of being found in violation of the indecency prohibition by the FCC because of recent FCC decisions, coupled with the spontaneity of live programming. Recently, the FCC has indicated that it is stepping up enforcement activities as they apply to indecency, and has indicated it would consider license revocation for serious violations. Moreover, legislation has been introduced in Congress that would increase penalties for broadcasting indecent programming.

Federal legislation and FCC rules also limit the amount of commercial matter that may be shown on broadcast or cable channels during programming designed for children 12 years of age and younger. In addition, broadcast channels are generally required to provide a minimum of three hours per week of programming that has as a “significant purpose” meeting the educational and informational needs of children 16 years of age and younger. FCC rules also give television station owners the right to reject or refuse network programming in certain circumstances or to substitute programming that the licensee reasonably believes to be of greater local or national importance.
 
  •  Cable and satellite carriage of broadcast television stations. With respect to cable systems operating within a television station’s Designated Market Area, FCC rules require that every three years each television station elect either “must carry” status, pursuant to which cable operators generally must carry a local television station in the station’s market, or “retransmission consent” status, pursuant to which the cable operator must negotiate with the television station to obtain the consent of the television station prior to carrying its signal. Under the

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  Satellite Home Viewer Improvement Act and its successor, the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act, satellite carriers are permitted to retransmit a local television station’s signal into its local market with the consent of the local television station. If a satellite carrier elects to carry one local station in a market, the satellite carrier must carry the signals of all local television stations that also request carriage. Certain of the satellite carriage provisions are set to expire on December 31, 2009.
 
  •  Digital television. FCC rules currently require full-power analog television stations, such as ours, to provide digital service on a second broadcast channel granted specifically for the phase-in of digital broadcasting. FCC rules also regulate digital broadcasting to ensure continued quality carriage of mandated free over-the-air program service. All of the Company’s stations have launched digital facilities, and we are evaluating various options with respect to use of digital channels. Under current law, all broadcasters are required to operate exclusively in digital mode and permanently surrender one of their two channels by December 31, 2006. However, the FCC has the authority in certain circumstances to extend this deadline in a particular market upon the request of a station. Congress is contemplating legislation that would create a “hard date” by which television stations would have to surrender one channel and which would eliminate the FCC extension process.

      The foregoing is a brief summary of certain provisions of the Communications Act and other legislation and of specific FCC rules and policies. This summary focuses on provisions material to our business. Reference should be made to the Communications Act, other legislation, FCC rules and public notices and rulings of the FCC for further information concerning the nature and extent of the FCC’s regulatory authority.

      FCC laws and regulations are subject to change, and the Company generally cannot predict whether new legislation, court action or regulations, or a change in the extent of application or enforcement of current laws and regulations, would have an adverse impact on our operations.

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