Goto Section: 76.972 | 76.977 | Table of Contents
FCC 76.975
Revised as of October 1, 2008
Goto Year:2007 |
2009
Sec. 76.975 Commercial leased access dispute resolution.
(a) Any person aggrieved by the failure or refusal of a cable operator to
make commercial channel capacity available in accordance with the provisions
of Title VI of the Communications Act may bring an action in the district
court of the United States for the Judicial district in which the cable
system is located to compel that such capacity be made available.
(b) Any person aggrieved by the failure or refusal of a cable operator to
make commercial channel capacity available or to charge rates for such
capacity in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Communications
Act, or our implementing regulations, Sec. Sec. 76.970, 76.971, and 76.972 may file
a petition for relief with the Commission.
(c) A petition must contain a concise statement of the facts constituting a
violation of the statute or the Commission's rules, the specific statute(s)
or rule(s) violated, and certify that the petition was served on the cable
operator.
(d) The petition must be filed within 60 days of the alleged violation. The
time limit on filing complaints will be suspended if the complainant files a
notice with the Commission prior to the expiration of the filing period,
stating that it seeks an extension of the filing deadline in order to pursue
active negotiations with the cable operator, and the cable operator agrees
to the extension.
(e) Discovery. In addition to the general pleading and discovery rules
contained in Sec. 76.7 of this part, parties to a leased access complaint may
serve requests for discovery directly on opposing parties, and file a copy
of the request with the Commission. The respondent shall have the
opportunity to object to any request for documents that are not in its
control or relevant to the dispute. Such request shall be heard, and
determination made, by the Commission. Until the objection is ruled upon,
the obligation to produce the disputed material is suspended. Any party who
fails to timely provide discovery requested by the opposing party to which
it has not raised an objection, or who fails to respond to a Commission
order for discovery material, may be deemed in default and an order may be
entered in accordance with the allegations contained in the complaint, or
the complaint may be dismissed with prejudice.
(f) Protective Orders. In addition to the procedures contained in Sec. 76.9 of
this part related to the protection of confidential material, the Commission
may issue orders to protect the confidentiality of proprietary information
required to be produced for resolution of leased access complaints. A
protective order constitutes both an order of the Commission and an
agreement between the party executing the protective order declaration and
the party submitting the protected material. The Commission has full
authority to fashion appropriate sanctions for violations of its protective
orders, including but not limited to suspension or disbarment of attorneys
from practice before the Commission, forfeitures, cease and desist orders,
and denial of further access to confidential information in Commission
proceedings.
(g) The cable operator or other respondent will have 30 days from the filing
of the petition to file a response. To the extent that a cable operator
expressly references and relies upon a document or documents in asserting a
defense or responding to a material allegation, such document or documents
shall be included as part of the response. If a leased access rate is
disputed, the response must show that the rate charged is not higher than
the maximum permitted rate for such leased access, and must be supported by
the affidavit of a responsible company official. If, after a response is
submitted, the staff finds a prima facie violation of our rules, the staff
may require a respondent to produce additional information, or specify other
procedures necessary for resolution of the proceeding.
(h)(1) The Media Bureau will resolve a leased access complaint within 90
days of the close of the pleading cycle.
(2) The Media Bureau, after consideration of the pleadings, may grant the
relief requested, in whole or in part, including, but not limited to
ordering refunds, injunctive measures, or forfeitures pursuant 47 U.S.C.
503, denying the petition, or issuing a ruling on the petition or dispute.
(3) To be afforded relief, the petitioner must show by clear and convincing
evidence that the cable operator has violated the Commission's leased access
provisions in 47 U.S.C. 532 or Sec. Sec. 76.970, 76.971, or 76.972, or otherwise
acted unreasonably or in bad faith in failing or refusing to make capacity
available or to charge lawful rates for such capacity to an unaffiliated
leased access programmer.
(4) As part of the remedy phase of the leased access complaint process, the
Media Bureau will have discretion to request that the parties file their
best and final offer for the prices, terms, or conditions in dispute. The
Commission will have the discretion to adopt one of the proposals or choose
to fashion its own remedy.
(i) During the pendency of a dispute, a party seeking to lease channel
capacity for commercial purposes, shall comply with the rates, terms and
conditions prescribed by the cable operator, subject to refund or other
appropriate remedy.
[ 58 FR 29753 , May 21, 1993, as amended at 62 FR 11382 , Mar. 12, 1997; 73 FR 10692 , Feb. 28, 2008]
Effective Date Note: At 73 FR 10692 , Feb. 28, 2008, in Sec. 76.975, paragraphs
(b) through (g) were revised, paragraph (h) was redesignated as paragraph
(i) and a new paragraph (h) was added. Paragraphs (d), (e),(g), and (h)(4)
of this section, which contain information collection and recordkeeping
requirements, and paragraphs (b), (c), and (f), which contains requirements
related to those information collection requirements, will not become
effective until approval has been given by the Office of Management and
Budget.
Goto Section: 76.972 | 76.977
Goto Year: 2007 |
2009
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