Appendix C

The Effect of the FCC's Syndicated
Program Exclusivity Regulations
On Cable Television Systems

Under the FCC's 1972 Cable Television Regulations, cable television systems in the top 100 television markets are generally permitted to carry all 'local' television

stations and two (or three, in some instances) distant independent stations.

Programming on the distant independent stations which

is under contract to the local market television stations is

subject to the FCC's syndicated exclusivity regulations.

When a local-market station requests 'protection' of its programs under the exclusivity rules, a cable system must 'blackout' the programming on the imported stations which is also under contract to the local-market station.

Requests for such protection are known by NCTA to be

in force in new CATV systems in such markets as North Little Rock, Arkansas (Market #50); Hampton and Newport News,

Virginia (Market #44); Scranton, Pennsylvania (Market #49); Wauwatosa, Wisconsin (Market #23); Albany, New York