A bill to establish an additional fund in the Treasury to meet existing statutory obligations to reimburse costs reasonably incurred as a result of the reorganization of broadcast television spectrum, and for other purposes.

United States115th CongressS-1632Senate
Updated: Jul 26, 2017

Summary

Viewer and Listener Protection Act of 2017 This bill establishes the Viewer and Listener Protection Fund through FY2022 to reimburse costs incurred by: (1) a multichannel video programming distributor (e.g. cable provider) in order to continue to carry the signal of a broadcast television licensee under specified conditions, and (2) a broadcast television station or broadcast radio station during the ongoing reorganization of the broadcast television spectrum. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is directed to modify the transition periods for broadcast television stations that are changing channels or broadcast frequencies as part of the reorganization to ensure their broadcasting is not stopped for a significant amount of time. The FCC shall also make an effort to preserve the coverage area and population served by a broadcast radio station that is impacted by the ongoing broadcast frequency reorganization.

Bill texts

Available versions
Introduced (Senate)View official text

1 version available

All available records shown.

Timeline

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

    Senate

All available records shown.