Legal Resources | United States Code, Title 17 | 119
Chapter 1 - Subject Matter And Scope Of Copyright. Limitations on exclusive rights: Secondary transmissions of superstations and network stations for private home viewing
(a) Secondary Transmissions by Satellite Carriers. -
(1) Superstations. - Subject to the provisions of paragraphs (5), (6), and (8) of this subsection and section 114(d), secondary transmissions of a performance or display of a work embodied in a primary transmission made by a superstation shall be subject to statutory licensing under this section if the secondary transmission is made by a satellite carrier to the public for private home viewing or for viewing in a commercial establishment, with regard to secondary transmissions the satellite carrier is in compliance with the rules, regulations, or authorizations of the Federal Communications Commission governing the carriage of television broadcast station signals, and the carrier makes a direct or indirect charge for each retransmission service to each subscriber receiving the secondary transmission or to a distributor that has contracted with the carrier for direct or indirect delivery of the secondary transmission to the public for private home viewing or for viewing in a commercial establishment.
(2) Network stations. -
(A) In general. - Subject to the provisions of subparagraphs (B) and (C) of this paragraph and paragraphs (5), (6), (7), and (8) of this subsection and section 114(d), secondary transmissions of a performance or display of a work embodied in a primary transmission made by a network station shall be subject to statutory licensing under this section if the secondary transmission is made by a satellite carrier to the public for private home viewing, with regard to secondary transmissions the satellite carrier is in compliance with the rules, regulations, or authorizations of the Federal Communications Commission governing the carriage of television broadcast station signals, and the carrier makes a direct or indirect charge for such retransmission service to each subscriber receiving the secondary transmission.
(B) Secondary transmissions to unserved households. -
(i) In general. - The statutory license provided for in subparagraph (A) shall be limited to secondary transmissions of the signals of no more than two network stations in a single day for each television network to persons who reside in unserved households. The limitation in this clause shall not apply to secondary transmissions under paragraph (3).
(ii) Accurate determinations of eligibility. -
(I) Accurate predictive model. - In determining presumptively whether a person resides in an unserved household under subsection (d)(10)(A), a court shall rely on the Individual Location Longley-Rice model set forth by the Federal Communications Commission in Docket No. 98-201, as that model may be amended by the Commission over time under section 339(c)(3) of the Communications Act of 1934 to increase the accuracy of that model.
(II) Accurate measurements. - For purposes of site measurements to determine whether a person resides in an unserved household under subsection (d)(10)(A), a court shall rely on section 339(c)(4) of the Communications Act of 1934.
(iii) C-band exemption to unserved households. -
(I) In general. - The limitations of clause (i) shall not apply to any secondary transmissions by C-band services of network stations that a subscriber to C-band service received before any termination of such secondary transmissions before October 31, 1999.
(II) Definition. - In this clause the term "C-band service" means a service that is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission and operates in the Fixed Satellite Service under part 25 of title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(C) Exceptions. -
(i) States with single full-power network station. - In a State in which there is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission a single full-power station that was a network station on January 1, 1995, the statutory license provided for in subparagraph (A) shall apply to the secondary transmission by a satellite carrier of the primary transmission of that station to any subscriber in a community that is located within that State and that is not within the first 50 television markets as listed in the regulations of the Commission as in effect on such date (47 CFR 76.51).
(ii) States with all network stations and superstations in same local market. - In a State in which all network stations and superstations licensed by the Federal Communications Commission within that State as of January 1, 1995, are assigned to the same local market and that local market does not encompass all counties of that State, the statutory license provided under subparagraph (A) shall apply to the secondary transmission by a satellite carrier of the primary transmissions of such station to all subscribers in the State who reside in a local market that is within the first 50 major television markets as listed in the regulations of the Commission as in effect on such date (section 76.51 of title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations).
(iii) Additional stations. - In the case of that State in which are located 4 counties that -
(I) on January 1, 2004, were in local markets principally comprised of counties in another State, and
(II) had a combined total of 41,340 television households, according to the U.S. Television Household Estimates by Nielsen Media Research for 2004, the statutory license provided under subparagraph (A) shall apply to secondary transmissions by a satellite carrier to subscribers in any such county of the primary transmissions of any network station located in that State, if the satellite carrier was making such secondary transmissions to any subscribers in that county on January 1, 2004.
(iv) Certain additional stations. - If 2 adjacent counties in a single State are in a local market comprised principally of counties located in another State, the statutory license provided for in subparagraph (A) shall apply to the secondary transmission by a satellite carrier to subscribers in those 2 counties of the primary transmissions of any network station located in the capital of the State in which such 2 counties are located, if -
(I) the 2 counties are located in a local market that is in the top 100 markets for the year 2003 according to Nielsen Media Research; and
(II) the total number of television households in the 2 counties combined did not exceed 10,000 for the year 2003 according to Nielsen Media Research.
(v) Applicability of royalty rates. - The royalty rates under subsection (b)(1)(B) apply to the secondary transmissions to which the statutory license under subparagraph (A) applies under clauses (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv).
(D) Submission of subscriber lists to networks. -
(i) Initial lists. - A satellite carrier that makes secondary transmissions of a primary transmission made by a network station pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall, 90 days after commencing such secondary transmissions, submit to the network that owns or is affiliated with the network station -
(I) a list identifying (by name and address, including street or rural route number, city, State, and zip code) all subscribers to which the satellite carrier makes secondary transmissions of that primary transmission to subscribers in unserved households; and
(II) a separate list, aggregated by designated market area (as defined in section 122(j)) (by name and address, including street or rural route number, city, State, and zip code), which shall indicate those subscribers being served pursuant to paragraph (3), relating to significantly viewed stations.
(ii) Monthly lists. - After the submission of the initial lists under clause (i), on the 15th of each month, the satellite carrier shall submit to the network -
(I) a list identifying (by name and address, including street or rural route number, city, State, and zip code) any persons who have been added or dropped as subscribers under clause (i)(I) since the last submission under clause (i); and
(II) a separate list, aggregated by designated market area (by name and street address, including street or rural route number, city, State, and zip code), identifying those subscribers whose service pursuant to paragraph (3), relating to significantly viewed stations, has been added or dropped.
(iii) Use of subscriber information. - Subscriber information submitted by a satellite carrier under this subparagraph may be used only for purposes of monitoring compliance by the satellite carrier with this subsection.
(iv) Applicability. - The submission requirements of this subparagraph shall apply to a satellite carrier only if the network to which the submissions are to be made places on file with the Register of Copyrights a document identifying the name and address of the person to whom such submissions are to be made. The Register shall maintain for public inspection a file of all such documents.
(3) Secondary transmissions of significantly viewed signals. -
(A) In general. - Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (2)(B), and subject to subparagraph (B) of this paragraph, the statutory license provided for in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to the secondary transmission of the primary transmission of a network station or a superstation to a subscriber who resides outside the station's local market (as defined in section 122(j)) but within a community in which the signal has been determined by the Federal Communications Commission, to be significantly viewed in such community, pursuant to the rules, regulations, and authorizations of the Federal Communications Commission in effect on April 15, 1976, applicable to determining with respect to a cable system whether signals are significantly viewed in a community.
(B) Limitation. - Subparagraph (A) shall apply only to secondary transmissions of the primary transmissions of network stations and superstations to subscribers who receive secondary transmissions from a satellite carrier pursuant to the statutory license under section 122.
(C) Waiver. -
(i) In general. - A subscriber who is denied the secondary transmission of the primary transmission of a network station under subparagraph (B) may request a waiver from such denial by submitting a request, through the subscriber's satellite carrier, to the network station in the local market affiliated with the same network where the subscriber is located. The network station shall accept or reject the subscriber's request for a waiver within 30 days after receipt of the request. If the network station fails to accept or reject the subscriber's request for a waiver within that 30-day period, that network station shall be deemed to agree to the waiver request. Unless specifically stated by the network station, a waiver that was granted before the date of the enactment of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004 under section 339(c)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 shall not constitute a waiver for purposes of this subparagraph.
(ii) Sunset. - The authority under clause (i) to grant waivers shall terminate on December 31, 2008, and any such waiver in effect shall terminate on that date.
(4) Statutory license where retransmissions into local market available. -
(A) Rules for subscribers to analog signals under subsection (e). -
(i) For those receiving distant analog signals. - In the case of a subscriber of a satellite carrier who is eligible to receive the secondary transmission of the primary analog transmission of a network station solely by reason of subsection (e) (in this subparagraph referred to as a "distant analog signal"), and who, as of October 1, 2004, is receiving the distant analog signal of that network station, the following shall apply:
(I) In a case in which the satellite carrier makes available to the subscriber the secondary transmission of the primary analog transmission of a local network station affiliated with the same television network pursuant to the statutory license under section 122, the statutory license under paragraph (2) shall apply only to secondary transmissions by that satellite carrier to that subscriber of the distant analog signal of a station affiliated with the same television network - (aa) if, within 60 days after receiving the notice of the satellite carrier under section 338(h)(1) of the Communications Act of 1934, the subscriber elects to retain the distant analog signal; but (bb) only until such time as the subscriber elects to receive such local analog signal.
(II) Notwithstanding subclause (I), the statutory license under paragraph (2) shall not apply with respect to any subscriber who is eligible to receive the distant analog signal of a television network station solely by reason of subsection (e), unless the satellite carrier, within 60 days after the date of the enactment of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004, submits to that television network a list, aggregated by designated market area (as defined in section 122(j)(2)(C)), that -
(aa) identifies that subscriber by name and address (street or rural route number, city, State, and zip code) and specifies the distant analog signals received by the subscriber; and
(bb) states, to the best of the satellite carrier's knowledge and belief, after having made diligent and good faith inquiries, that the subscriber is eligible under subsection (e) to receive the distant analog signals.
(ii) For those not receiving distant analog signals. - In the case of any subscriber of a satellite carrier who is eligible to receive the distant analog signal of a network station solely by reason of subsection (e) and who did not receive a distant analog signal of a station affiliated with the same network on October 1, 2004, the statutory license under paragraph (2) shall not apply to secondary transmissions by that satellite carrier to that subscriber of the distant analog signal of a station affiliated with the same network.
(B) Rules for other subscribers. - In the case of a subscriber of a satellite carrier who is eligible to receive the secondary transmission of the primary analog transmission of a network station under the statutory license under paragraph (2) (in this subparagraph referred to as a "distant analog signal"), other than subscribers to whom subparagraph (A) applies, the following shall apply:
(i) In a case in which the satellite carrier makes available to that subscriber, on January 1, 2005, the secondary transmission of the primary analog transmission of a local network station affiliated with the same television network pursuant to the statutory license under section 122, the statutory license under paragraph (2) shall apply only to secondary transmissions by that satellite carrier to that subscriber of the distant analog signal of a station affiliated with the same television network if the subscriber's satellite carrier, not later than March 1, 2005, submits to that television network a list, aggregated by designated market area (as defined in section 122(j)(2)(C)), that identifies that subscriber by name and address (street or rural route number, city, State, and zip code) and specifies the distant analog signals received by the subscriber.
(ii) In a case in which the satellite carrier does not make available to that subscriber, on January 1, 2005, the secondary transmission of the primary analog transmission of a local network station affiliated with the same television network pursuant to the statutory license under section 122, the statutory license under paragraph (2) shall apply only to secondary transmissions by that satellite carrier of the distant analog signal of a station affiliated with the same network to that subscriber if -
(I) that subscriber seeks to subscribe to such distant analog signal before the date on which such carrier commences to provide pursuant to the statutory license under section 122 the secondary transmissions of the primary analog transmission of stations from the local market of such local network station; and
(II) the satellite carrier, within 60 days after such date, submits to each television network a list that identifies each subscriber in that local market provided such an analog signal by name and address (street or rural route number, city, State, and zip code) and specifies the distant analog signals received by the subscriber.
(C) Future applicability. - The statutory license under paragraph (2) shall not apply to the secondary transmission by a satellite carrier of a primary analog transmission of a network station to a person who -
(i) is not a subscriber lawfully receiving such secondary transmission as of the date of the enactment of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004; and
(ii) at the time such person seeks to subscribe to receive such secondary transmission, resides in a local market where the satellite carrier makes available to that person the secondary transmission of the primary analog transmission of a local network station affiliated with the same television network pursuant to the statutory license under section 122, and such secondary transmission of such primary transmission can reach such person.
(D) Special rules for distant digital signals. - The statutory license under paragraph (2) shall apply to secondary transmissions by a satellite carrier to a subscriber of primary digital transmissions of network stations if such secondary transmissions to such subscriber are permitted under section 339(a)(2)(D) of the Communications Act of 1934, as in effect on the day after the date of the enactment of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004, except that the reference to section 73.683(a) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, referred to in section 339(a)(2)(D)(i)(I) shall refer to such section as in effect on the date of the enactment of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004.
(E) Other provisions not affected. - This paragraph shall not affect the applicability of the statutory license to secondary transmissions under paragraph (3) or to unserved households included under paragraph (12).
(F) Waiver. - A subscriber who is denied the secondary transmission of a network station under subparagraph (C) or (D) may request a waiver from such denial by submitting a request, through the subscriber's satellite carrier, to the network station in the local market affiliated with the same network where the subscriber is located. The network station shall accept or reject the subscriber's request for a waiver within 30 days after receipt of the request. If the network station fails to accept or reject the subscriber's request for a waiver within that 30-day period, that network station shall be deemed to agree to the waiver request. Unless specifically stated by the network station, a waiver that was granted before the date of the enactment of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004 under section 339(c)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934 shall not constitute a waiver for purposes of this subparagraph.
(G) Available defined. - For purposes of this paragraph, a satellite carrier makes available a secondary transmission of the primary transmission of a local station to a subscriber or person if the satellite carrier offers that secondary transmission to other subscribers who reside in the same zip code as that subscriber or person.
(5) Noncompliance with reporting and payment requirements. - Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2), the willful or repeated secondary transmission to the public by a satellite carrier of a primary transmission made by a superstation or a network station and embodying a performance or display of a work is actionable as an act of infringement under section 501, and is fully subject to the remedies provided by sections 502 through 506 and 509, where the satellite carrier has not deposited the statement of account and royalty fee required by subsection (b), or has failed to make the submissions to networks required by paragraph (2)(C).
(6) Willful alterations. - Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (1) and (2), the secondary transmission to the public by a satellite carrier of a performance or display of a work embodied in a primary transmission made by a superstation or a network station is actionable as an act of infringement under section 501, and is fully subject to the remedies provided by sections 502 through 506 and section 510, if the content of the particular program in which the performance or display is embodied, or any commercial advertising or station announcement transmitted by the primary transmitter during, or immediately before or after, the transmission of such program, is in any way willfully altered by the satellite carrier through changes, deletions, or additions, or is combined with programming from any other broadcast signal.
(7) Violation of territorial restrictions on statutory license for network stations. -
(A) Individual violations. - The willful or repeated secondary transmission by a satellite carrier of a primary transmission made by a network station and embodying a performance or display of a work to a subscriber who is not eligible to receive the transmission under this section is actionable as an act of infringement under section 501 and is fully subject to the remedies provided by sections 502 through 506, except that -
(i) no damages shall be awarded for such act of infringement if the satellite carrier took corrective action by promptly withdrawing service from the ineligible subscriber, and
(ii) any statutory damages shall not exceed $5 for such subscriber for each month during which the violation occurred.
(B) Pattern of violations. - If a satellite carrier engages in a willful or repeated pattern or practice of delivering a primary transmission made by a network station and embodying a performance or display of a work to subscribers who are not eligible to receive the transmission under this section, then in addition to the remedies set forth in subparagraph (A) -
(i) if the pattern or practice has been carried out on a substantially nationwide basis, the court shall order a permanent injunction barring the secondary transmission by the satellite carrier, for private home viewing, of the primary transmissions of any primary network station affiliated with the same network, and the court may order statutory damages of not to exceed $250,000 for each 6-month period during which the pattern or practice was carried out; and
(ii) if the pattern or practice has been carried out on a local or regional basis, the court shall order a permanent injunction barring the secondary transmission, for private home viewing in that locality or region, by the satellite carrier of the primary transmissions of any primary network station affiliated with the same network, and the court may order statutory damages of not to exceed $250,000 for each 6-month period during which the pattern or practice was carried out.
(C) Previous subscribers excluded. - Subparagraphs (A) and (B) do not apply to secondary transmissions by a satellite carrier to persons who subscribed to receive such secondary transmissions from the satellite carrier or a distributor before November 16, 1988.
(D) Burden of proof. - In any action brought under this paragraph, the satellite carrier shall have the burden of proving that its secondary transmission of a primary transmission by a network station is to a subscriber who is eligible to receive the secondary transmission under this section.
(E) Exception. - The secondary transmission by a satellite carrier of a performance or display of a work embodied in a primary transmission made by a network station to subscribers who do not reside in unserved households shall not be an act of infringement if -
(i) the station on May 1, 1991, was retransmitted by a satellite carrier and was not on that date owned or operated by or affiliated with a television network that offered interconnected program service on a regular basis for 15 or more hours per week to at least 25 affiliated television licensees in 10 or more States;
(ii) as of July 1, 1998, such station was retransmitted by a satellite carrier under the statutory license of this section; and
(iii) the station is not owned or operated by or affiliated with a television network that, as of January 1, 1995, offered interconnected program service on a regular basis for 15 or more hours per week to at least 25 affiliated television licensees in 10 or more States.
(8) Discrimination by a satellite carrier. - Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1), the willful or repeated secondary transmission to the public by a satellite carrier of a performance or display of a work embodied in a primary transmission made by a superstation or a network station is actionable as an act of infringement under section 501, and is fully subject to the remedies provided by sections 502 through 506, if the satellite carrier unlawfully discriminates against a distributor.
(9) Geographic limitation on secondary transmissions. - The statutory license created by this section shall apply only to secondary transmissions to households located in the United States.
(10) Loser pays for signal intensity measurement; recovery of measurement costs in a civil action. - In any civil action filed relating to the eligibility of subscribing households as unserved households -
(A) a network station challenging such eligibility shall, within 60 days after receipt of the measurement results and a statement of such costs, reimburse the satellite carrier for any signal intensity measurement that is conducted by that carrier in response to a challenge by the network station and that establishes the household is an unserved household; and
(B) a satellite carrier shall, within 60 days after receipt of the measurement results and a statement of such costs, reimburse the network station challenging such eligibility for any signal intensity measurement that is conducted by that station and that establishes the household is not an unserved household.
(11) Inability to conduct measurement. - If a network station makes a reasonable attempt to conduct a site measurement of its signal at a subscriber's household and is denied access for the purpose of conducting the measurement, and is otherwise unable to conduct a measurement, the satellite carrier shall within 60 days notice thereof, terminate service of the station's network to that household.
(12) Service to recreational vehicles and commercial trucks. -
(A) Exemption. -
(i) In general. - For purposes of this subsection, and subject to clauses (ii) and (iii), the term "unserved household" shall include -
(I) recreational vehicles as defined in regulations of the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under section 3282.8 of title 24 of the Code of Federal Regulations; and
(II) commercial trucks that qualify as commercial motor vehicles under regulations of the Secretary of Transportation under section 383.5 of title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
(ii) Limitation. - Clause (i) shall apply only to a recreational vehicle or commercial truck if any satellite carrier that proposes to make a secondary transmission of a network station to the operator of such a recreational vehicle or commercial truck complies with the documentation requirements under subparagraphs (B) and (C).
(iii) Exclusion. - For purposes of this subparagraph, the terms "recreational vehicle" and "commercial truck" shall not include any fixed dwelling, whether a mobile home or otherwise.
(B) Documentation requirements. - A recreational vehicle or commercial truck shall be deemed to be an unserved household beginning 10 days after the relevant satellite carrier provides to the network that owns or is affiliated with the network station that will be secondarily transmitted to the recreational vehicle or commercial truck the following documents:
(i) Declaration. - A signed declaration by the operator of the recreational vehicle or commercial truck that the satellite dish is permanently attached to the recreational vehicle or commercial truck, and will not be used to receive satellite programming at any fixed dwelling.
(ii) Registration. - In the case of a recreational vehicle, a copy of the current State vehicle registration for the recreational vehicle.
(iii) Registration and license. - In the case of a commercial truck, a copy of -
(I) the current State vehicle registration for the truck; and
(II) a copy of a valid, current commercial driver's license, as defined in regulations of the Secretary of Transportation under section 383 of title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, issued to the operator.
(C) Updated documentation requirements. - If a satellite carrier wishes to continue to make secondary transmissions to a recreational vehicle or commercial truck for more than a 2-year period, that carrier shall provide each network, upon request, with updated documentation in the form described under subparagraph (B) during the 90 days before expiration of that 2-year period.
(13) Statutory license contingent on compliance with fcc rules and remedial steps. - Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the willful or repeated secondary transmission to the public by a satellite carrier of a primary transmission embodying a performance or display of a work made by a broadcast station licensed by the Federal Communications Commission is actionable as an act of infringement under section 501, and is fully subject to the remedies provided by sections 502 through 506, if, at the time of such transmission, the satellite carrier is not in compliance with the rules, regulations, and authorizations of the Federal Communications Commission concerning the carriage of television broadcast station signals.
(14) Waivers. - A subscriber who is denied the secondary transmission of a signal of a network station under subsection (a)(2)(B) may request a waiver from such denial by submitting a request, through the subscriber's satellite carrier, to the network station asserting that the secondary transmission is prohibited. The network station shall accept or reject a subscriber's request for a waiver within 30 days after receipt of the request. If a television network station fails to accept or reject a subscriber's request for a waiver within the 30-day period after receipt of the request, that station shall be deemed to agree to the waiver request and have filed such written waiver. Unless specifically stated by the network station, a waiver that was granted before the date of the enactment of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004 under section 339(c)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934, and that was in effect on such date of enactment, shall constitute a waiver for purposes of this paragraph
(15) Carriage of low power television stations. -
(A) In general. - Notwithstanding paragraph (2)(B), and subject to subparagraphs (B) through (F) of this paragraph, the statutory license provided for in paragraphs (1) and (2) shall apply to the secondary transmission of the primary transmission of a network station or a superstation that is licensed as a low power television station, to a subscriber who resides within the same local market.
(B) Geographic limitation. -
(i) Network stations. - With respect to network stations, secondary transmissions provided for in subparagraph (A) shall be limited to secondary transmissions to subscribers who -
(I) reside in the same local market as the station originating the si