FCC names Top 10 National Nonbroadcast Networks; Top Five Subject to Video Description

The top 10 national nonbroadcast networks for the 2013 to 2014 ratings year were USA Network, ESPN, Turner Network Television (TNT), TBS Network, History, Disney Channel, Fox News Channel, Nickelodeon, A&E Network and FX.5, the Media Bureau said in a public notice Wednesday.The ranking is based on Nielsen ratings, the PN said. The commission’s video description rules require multichannel video programming distributors with more than 50,000 subscribers to provide 50 hours of video description per quarter during prime time or children's programming on the top five national nonbroadcast networks, the PN said. Though the networks currently subject to that rule are USA, Disney Channel, TNT, Nickelodeon and TBS, that lineup is based on the ratings available in 2011. On July 1, the requirement will update to the top five from the 2013-2014 ratings year. Though that's currently USA, ESPN, TNT, TBS and History, the networks have 30 days to seek an exception to the video description requirement based on whether they air 50 hours of prime time programming that isn't live or near-live, the notice said.