WASHINGTON—One of the items on the docket of the FCC’s July 10 open meeting will be a new proposal made by small and mid-size cable operators that would allow for email delivery of various required notices to broadcasters. Instances where email could be used would include service in a market, deleting or repositioning a TV station and facilities changes.
The specifics of the NPRM proposes that “cable operators be required to distribute these written notices to broadcast television stations electronically via email to an address designated by the station in the [FCC’s] online public inspection file (OPIF).” Additional areas that it covers is seeking comments on extending that to satellite, as well as how it can be applied to low power TVs and translators.
The origins of this proposal came from ACA Connects last fall, when the organization argued that if the FCC was going to allow broadcasters to use email to make carriage elections that it should do the same for cable operations. The emailing of carriage elections will also be voted on in the July 10 meeting.
