FCC’s New Rules on Children’s TV Obligations For Broadcasters
The FCC has revised the rules regarding broadcasters’ obligations “to protect and serve children in their audiences.” According to a news release dated September 26, …”modifications and clarifications of the Commission’s rules will serve the public interest by ensuring an adequate supply of children’s educational and informational programming as we transition to digital television technology. Additionally today’s order protects children from excessive and commercial messages in broadcast and cable programming, without unduly impairing the scheduling flexibility of broadcasters and cable operators.”
The order makes the following changes:
Ҥ The website rule РThe Order adopts two clarifications to the rule: 1) the rule applies only when Internet addresses are displayed during program material or during promotional material not counted as commercial time; and 2) if an Internet address for a website that does not meet the four-prong test is displayed during a promotion, in addition to counting against the commercial time limits, the promotion will be clearly separated from programming material.
§ The host-selling rule – The Order permits the sale of merchandise featuring a program-related character in parts of the website that are sufficiently separated from the program itself to mitigate the impact of host selling.
§ The promotions rule – The Order revises the definition of “commercial matter” adopted in 2004 to provide additional flexibility for broadcasters and cable operators.
§ The preemption rule – The Order eliminates the cap on the number of preemptions and returns to a case-by-case approach.
§ The multicasting rule – The Order clarifies the limit on the repeat of core programs under the digital processing guideline adopted in 2004.
§ The Order clarifies that certain public service announcements, which are not commercial matter, are not subject to the restriction regarding the display of website addresses. It also clarifies that station identifications and emergency announcements are not subject to the website rules. “
Read the entire press release here.