STELAR-mandated changes permit market modifications for satellite carriage; some cable matters tweaked, too The market modification process is about to get, um, modified, and thanks to Congress, it will be more inclusive as a result. In fact, the FCC has already signed off on the changes and some, but not all, of them are set to take effect on November 2. Read on for details. As a general rule, a broadcast television station is carried on cable systems located in the station’s local market. That market is determined by the Nielsen-assigned Designated Market Area, or DMA, in which the station operates. Satellite services similarly deliver a station’s signal to subscribers located in that market. In certain cases, however, the DMA doesn’t accurately reflect the true “local” market of a particular station. Recognizing this, the Commission has long had procedures in place to allow a broadcaster or cable operator to modify the relevant market for…
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