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HR 3203 106th Congress House Science, Technology, Communications Administrative procedure Aliens Cable television Commerce Competition Federal Communications Commission Finance and Financial Sector Foreign Trade and International Finance Foreign corporations Government Operations and Politics Immigration Independent regulatory commissions Law Licenses Newspapers Radio stations Reciprocity Stockholders Stocks

Broadcast Ownership for the 21st Century Act

Introduced: November 2, 1999 See on congress.gov
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 12, 1999
Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection.
Nov 2, 1999
Introduced in House
Nov 2, 1999
Referred to the House Committee on Commerce.
 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service
Broadcast Ownership for the 21st Century Act - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to direct the FCC to modify current cross-ownership limitations by eliminating provisions limiting the granting or renewal of an AM, FM, or TV broadcast station license to any party on the basis of the ownership, operation, or control of a daily newspaper. Disallows the FCC to prohibit or limit a person or entity from holding any form of ownership or other interest in a broadcast station and a cable system serving the same community. Directs the FCC to permit a TV broadcast station to affiliate with a person or entity that maintains two or more networks of TV broadcast stations, with a limited exception.

Provides that, in calculating the national audience reach limitations, UHF stations shall be attributed with no more than 50 percent of the TV households in their market.

Amends the Telecommunications Act of 1996 to direct the FCC to modify its rules for multiple ownership of TV broadcast stations to increase to 45 (currently 35) percent the national audience reach limitations for TV stations owned by the same entity or person.

Revises provisions prohibiting the granting of radio station licenses to aliens or foreign entities to allow the granting of such a license to the same manner and extent to which such alien's or entity's country allows the granting of such a license to a U.S. person or entity.

What's happening now November 12, 1999

Referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2