The FCC has adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM) proposing to amend its closed captioning rules for video programming. For programming carried on public, educational, and governmental access (PEG) channels, the Commission has proposed that its captioning registration and certification requirements not apply to video programmers that provide video programming exclusively to PEG channels that are exempt from the closed captioning requirements.
Additionally, for programming carried on non-broadcast networks for distribution by a cable operator or other multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD), the Commission proposes that captioning registration and certification requirements shall not apply to providers of such programming if the network certifies that: (1) it is exempt; or (2) that all programming comprising the network’s linear line-up is either exempt from or compliant with the closed captioning rules. Comments are due 30 days after the FNPRM is published in the Federal Register, and reply comments are due 60 days after that date of publication.
