TV Satellite Must Carry – Station Can Select Must-Carry for Only One DMA

A question has arisen regarding stations that opt for must-carry on satellite systems.  Under the “carry one carry all” federal law, if a satellite service carries one station in a market, it must carry all stations in the market.

Carriage rights are based on a station’s designated market areas (DMA).  But DMAs borders move sometimes.  So, what happens if a station is licensed to a community, and that community has been moved into a different DMA by Neilsen. 

The FCC just answered that question, stating the station cannot elect must carry in two DMAs.  According to the FCC:

“A television station that is reassigned by The Nielsen Company (Nielsen) from the Designated Market Area (DMA) where its community of license is located to a different DMA is permitted to elect satellite carriage in a single DMA and the county in which it is licensed.  The station is not entitled to elect satellite carriage throughout both DMAs simultaneously.”  (emphasis supplied)

You can access the FCC’s full decision here.