FCC Implements Parts of STELAR

The FCC has implemented four provisions of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Reauthorization Act, it said in an order released Thursday. As required by the act, the order extends the sunset dates for some retransmission consent rules by five years, expands the prohibition on joint retransmission consent negotiation to any same market stations not commonly owned, eliminates the sweeps week protection, and stops stations from preventing pay-TV companies from importing significantly viewed distant signals. The FCC legally was able to adopt the order without a notice and comment period because the rule changes were congressionally mandated, said Fletcher Heald broadcast attorney Dan Kirkpatrick in a blog post on the rules. The FCC implementation doesn’t make any significant changes from the STELAR language, Kirkpatrick told us.