NEWS
Report No. DC 95-141         ACTION IN DOCKET CASE                      December 8, 1995

            COMMISSION SEEKS COMMENT ON REVISED ADI DEFINITION
                         FOR MUST-CARRY PURPOSES;
           PROPOSES CONTINUED USE OF ARBITRON DEFINITION IN 1996
                            (CS DOCKET 95-178)

     The Commission has unanimously adopted a Notice of Proposed Rule Making seeking
comment on a revised market definition process for the purposes of the cable television
broadcast signal carriage rules.  Pursuant to the Commission's "must-carry/retransmission"
rules (Section 614 of the Communications Act), a commercial television broadcast station is
entitled to assert mandatory carriage rights on cable systems located within the station's
market.  A commercial broadcast television station's market is based on its area of dominant
influence ("ADI") as defined by the Arbitron audience research organization ("Arbitron"). 
An ADI is a geographic market designation that defines each television market exclusive of
others based on measured viewing patterns.  The Commission anticipated that Arbitron ADI
market definitions would continue to be revised annually; however, Arbitron has ceased its
designation and publication of ADI market areas.  Therefore, because the next must-
carry/retransmission consent election must be made by October 1, 1996, a decision as to the
proper market list and definitions is needed prior to that date.

     In the NPRM, the Commission proposes to retain the existing market definitions for
the next must-carry/retransmission consent election cycle.  The Commission has concluded
that several options appear to be available: (1) substitute the Nielsen "Designated Market
Areas" ("DMAs") for the Arbitron ADI; (2) continue to use the Arbitron ADI definitions;
or, (3) retain the existing market definitions for the 1996 election period and switch to a
Nielsen based standard thereafter.  The Commission has tentatively concluded that the second
of these options is preferable.  It has the advantage of providing stability in the television
broadcast signal carriage process.  Additionally, changing from one system to the other
would raise questions as to the numerous cases which have been processed under Section
614(h) revision market areas with respect to particular stations and particular communities. 
The Commission seeks comment on the above alternatives as well as suggestions for any
other alternatives that would better accomplish the market definition objectives of the must-
carry\retransmission rules.

Action by the Commission, December 8, 1995, by Order (FCC 95-489).  Chairman Hundt,
Commissioners Quell, Barrett, Ness and Chong.

News Media contact: Morgan Broman (202) 416-0852; Cable Services Bureau contacts: 
Dana Bradford or Marcia Glauberman (202) 416-0800.