Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 113 Part 2.djvu/1113

 PUBLIC LAW 106-113—APPENDIX I 113 STAT. 1501A-595 (2) These low-power broadcasters have operated their stations in a manner consistent with the programming objectives and hours of operation of full-power broadcasters providing worthwhile services to their respective communities while under severe license limitations compared 1:other full-power counterparts. (3) License limitations, particularly the temporary nature of the license, have blocked many low-power broadcasters from having access to capital, and have severely hampered their ability to continue to provide quality broadcasting, programming, or improvements. (4) The passage of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 has added to the uncertainty of the future status of these stations by the lack of specific provisions regarding the permanency of their licenses, or their treatment during the transition to high definition, digital television. (5) It is in the public interest to promote diversity in television programming such as that currently provided by low-power television stations to foreign-language communities. (c) PRESERVATION OF LOW-POWER COMMUNITY TELEVISION BROADCASTING.— Section 336 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 336) is amended— (1) by redesignating subsections (f) and. (g) as subsections (g) and (h), respectively; and (2) by inserting after subsection (e) the following new subsection: " (f) PRESERVATION OF LOW-POWER COMMUNITY TELEVISION BROADCASTING. — " (1) CREATION OF CLASS A LICENSES. — "(A) RULEMAKING REQUIRED.— Within 120 days after the date of the enactment of the Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1999, the Commission shall prescribe regulations to establish a class A television license to be available to licensees of qualifying low-power television stations. Such regulations shall provide that— "(i) the license shall be subject to the same license terms and renewal standards as the licenses for fullpower television stations except as provided in this subsection; and "(ii) each such class A licensee shall be accorded primary status as a television broadcaster as long as the station continues to meet th(j requirements for a qualifying low-power station in paragraph (2). "(B) NOTICE TO AND CERTIFICATION BY LICENSEES.— Within 30 days after the date of the enactment of the Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1999, the Commission shall send a notice to the licensees of all low-power television licenses that describes the requirements for class A designation. Within 60 days after such date of enactment, licensees intending to seek class A designation shall submit to the Commission a certification of eligibility based on the qualification requirements of this subsection. Absent a material deficiency, the Commission shall grant certification of eligibility to apply for class A status. "(C) APPLICATION FOR AND AWARD OF LICENSES.— Consistent with the requirements set forth in paragraph (2)(A)

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