Skip to main content
H.R. 4525 102nd Congress House

Cable Competition Act of 1992

Official title: To amend the Communications Act of 1934 to enhance competition in the video marketplace.

Introduced: March 20, 1992 See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Administrative procedureCable televisionCommunication satellitesCompetition
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Evidence (Law)Restrictive trade practices
This bill died when the 102nd Congress ended
It never became law before the 102nd Congress (1991–1992) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 23, 1992
For Further Action See H.R.4850.
Apr 3, 1992
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance.
Mar 20, 1992
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Mar 20, 1992
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action July 23, 1992

For Further Action See H.R.4850.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Cable Competition Act of 1992 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit a video programmer which engages in national or regional distribution of satellite cable programming from: (1) unreasonably refusing to deal with any multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) for such programming; or (2) discriminating in the price, terms, and conditions in the sale or delivery of such programming among or between cable systems, operators or their agents, or other MVPDs. Excepts from such prohibition: (1) imposing reasonable requirements for creditworthiness, offering of service, and financial stability; (2) establishing different price, terms, and conditions which take into account cost differentials in the creation, sale, delivery, or transmission of video programming; and (3) establishing different prices, terms, and conditions which take into account reasonable volume discounts based on the number of subscribers served by the distributor.

Requires a video programmer which charges one distributor a higher price than another distributor to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the difference is attributable to additional costs paid by the video programmer to make the programming available to such distributor.

Prohibits a fixed service satellite carrier (FSSC) that provides secondary transmissions of superstations and network stations for private home viewing from: (1) unreasonably refusing to deal with any distributor of video programming in the provision of such services to home satellite earth stations qualified to receive such service; or (2) discriminating in the price, terms, and conditions of the sale of such service among distributors to home satellite earth stations qualified to receive such signals, or between such distributors and other MVPDs. Excepts from such prohibition: (1) imposing reasonable requirements for creditworthiness, offering of service, and financial stability; (2) establishing different prices, terms, and conditions which take into account cost differentials in the creation, sale, delivery, or transmission of video programming; and (3) establishing different prices, terms, and conditions which take into account reasonable volume discounts based on the number of subscribers served by the distributor.

Requires a FSSC which charges one distributor a higher price than another distributor to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence that the difference is attributable to additional costs paid by the FSSC to make the programming available to such distributor.

Allows any MVPD alleging a violation of such prohibitions by either a video programmer or a FSSC to commence an adjudicatory proceeding with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Empowers the FCC to order any appropriate remedies, including the power to establish prices, terms, and conditions of the sale of programming to the aggrieved MVPD.

Requires the FCC to: (1) prescribe regulations to implement such prohibitions and remedy procedures; (2) report annually to the Congress on the status of competition in the market for the delivery of video programming; and (3) establish regulations governing program carriage agreements and related practices between cable operators and video programmers.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4525: Cable Competition Act of 1992. 102nd Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-4525/
MLA
"H.R. 4525: Cable Competition Act of 1992." 102nd Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-4525/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4525, 102nd Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-4525/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4525: Cable Competition Act of 1992](https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HR-4525/)
Report a problem