Community Broadcasting Protection Act of 1997
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Community Broadcasting Protection Act of 1997 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe regulations to establish a class A license for qualifying low-power television (LPT) stations. Requires notification of LPT licensees of the availability of such license. Defines as a qualifying LPT station one which in the 90 days preceding enactment of this Act: (1) broadcast for at least 18 hours per day; (2) broadcast for at least three hours weekly programming that was produced within the community of license of such station; and (3) complied with other requirements applicable to LPT stations. Allows the FCC to treat non-qualifying stations as LPT stations under this Act if public interest, convenience, and necessity would be so served.
Provides that: (1) the FCC is not required to issue any additional licenses for advanced television services to the licensees of class A television stations; and (2) no licensee of a class A television station shall be required to cease operations, or have a license rescinded or terminated, due to the implementation of amendments to the table of allotments adopted before the enactment of this Act. Allows the FCC to order such a cessation, rescission, or termination only after compliance with specified requirements.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
- Introduced in House Formatted Text PDF
Cite this page
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1539: Community Broadcasting Protection Act of 1997. 105th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1539/
"H.R. 1539: Community Broadcasting Protection Act of 1997." 105th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1539/.
H.R. 1539, 105th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1539/.
[H.R. 1539: Community Broadcasting Protection Act of 1997](https://openamerica.io/bill/105-HR-1539/)