Skip to content
DWT logo
People Expertise Insights
About Locations Careers
Search
People
Expertise
Insights
About
Locations
Careers
Search
Advisories
Communications

Broadcast Signal Carriage - Changes In Designated Market Areas ("DMAs")

11.11.05
Share
Print this page
The FCC periodically updates the broadcast television market assignments applicable to its must carry and retransmission consent regulations. As part of the current must carry/retransmission consent "election" cycle, the FCC rules require that the 2003-2004 Nielsen DMA assignments replace the old 2000-2001 Nielsen DMA assignments. Although the changes are not dramatic, the updating means that some counties will shift from one television market assignment to another. In these cases, a cable operator may be required to delete broadcast signals historically carried on a cable system (based on the old DMA assignment) and replace them with other broadcast signals (based on the new DMA assignment).

For compulsory copyright purposes, broadcast signals get the benefit of both the old market assignments and the new market assignments. Accordingly, a cable system that shifts from DMA 1 to DMA 2 can continue identifying broadcast signals from DMA 1 as "local" and can also now identify broadcast signals from DMA 2 as "local."

We have attached a list of the relevant DMA changes. If you have any questions, please contact us.

Related Articles

DWT logo
©1996-2022 Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
NAVIGATE
Home People Expertise Insights
About Locations Careers Events Blogs
STAY CONNECTED

Subscribe to stay informed.

Subscribe
Employees
DWT Collaborate
EEO
Affiliations
Legal notices
Privacy policy
©1996-2022 Davis Wright Tremaine LLP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Close
Close

CAUTION - Before you proceed, please note: By clicking “accept” you agree that our review of the information contained in your e-mail and any attachments will not create an attorney-client relationship, and will not prevent any lawyer in our firm from representing a party in any matter where that information is relevant, even if you submitted the information in good faith to retain us.