Review Procedures; Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative; Program Carriage Rules

In this document, the Commission revises the rules governing the resolution of program carriage disputes between video programming vendors and multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) and parallel procedural rules, which govern program access, open video system (OVS), and good-faith retransmission consent complaints. Specifically, the document amends the third prong of the statute of limitations for filing program carriage complaints so that it no longer undermines the fundamental purpose of a statute of limitations. To harmonize the rules, the document similarly amends the statutes of limitations for filing program access, OVS, and good-faith retransmission consent complaints. The document also revises the effective date and review procedures for initial decisions issued by an administrative law judge (ALJ) in program carriage, program access, and OVS proceedings to make them consistent with the Commission's generally applicable procedures and adopts an aspirational shot clock to encourage quick resolution of appeals of such decisions. The Commission concludes that these changes will help to ensure a clear and expeditious program access, program carriage, retransmission consent, and OVS complaint process for potential complainants and defendants.