47 USC 303c – Television program improvement
(a) Short title
This section may be cited as the “Television Program Improvement Act of 1990”.
(b) Definitions
Terms Used In 47 USC 303c
- affiliate: means a person that (directly or indirectly) owns or controls, is owned or controlled by, or is under common ownership or control with, another person. See 47 USC 153
- association: when used in reference to a corporation, shall be deemed to embrace the words "successors and assigns of such company or association" in like manner as if these last-named words, or words of similar import, were expressed. See 1 USC 5
- individual: shall include every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development. See 1 USC 8
- person: includes an individual, partnership, association, joint-stock company, trust, or corporation. See 47 USC 153
- station: means a station equipped to engage in radio communication or radio transmission of energy. See 47 USC 153
For purposes of this section—
(1) the term “antitrust laws” has the meaning given it in subsection (a) of section 12 of title 15, except that such term includes section 45 of title 15 to the extent that section 45 of title 15 applies to unfair methods of competition;
(2) the term “person in the television industry” means a television network, any entity which produces programming (including theatrical motion pictures) for telecasting or telecasts programming, the National Cable Television Association, the Association of Independent Television Stations, Incorporated, the National Association of Broadcasters, the Motion Picture Association of America, the Community Antenna Television Association, and each of the networks’ affiliate organizations, and shall include any individual acting on behalf of such person; and
(3) the term “telecast” means—
(A) to broadcast by a television broadcast station; or
(B) to transmit by a cable television system or a satellite television distribution service.
(c) Exemption
The antitrust laws shall not apply to any joint discussion, consideration, review, action, or agreement by or among persons in the television industry for the purpose of, and limited to, developing and disseminating voluntary guidelines designed to alleviate the negative impact of violence in telecast material.
(d) Limitations
(1) The exemption provided in subsection (c) shall not apply to any joint discussion, consideration, review, action, or agreement which results in a boycott of any person.
(2) The exemption provided in subsection (c) shall apply only to any joint discussion, consideration, review, action, or agreement engaged in only during the 3-year period beginning on December 1, 1990.