[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 246 (Friday, December 23, 1994)] [Unknown Section] [Page 0] From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] [FR Doc No: 94-31561] [[Page Unknown]] [Federal Register: December 23, 1994] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 47 CFR Part 76 [MM Docket No. 92-265; FCC 94-287] Cable Television Act of 1992--Program Distribution and Carriage Agreements AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final Rule; petitions for reconsideration. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: In this Memorandum Opinion and Order (MO&O) the Commission addresses nine (9) petitions for reconsideration of the rules adopted in the First Report and Order in MM Docket 92-265 (First R&O), implementing section 19 of the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992 (``1992 Cable Act''). Specifically, we amend, affirm or clarify certain aspects of the implementing rules in order to ensure that competitors to cable distributors have fair and non- discriminatory access to video programming. EFFECTIVE DATE: January 23, 1995. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Nancy Markowitz or Maura Cantrill, Cable Services Bureau, (202) 416-0800. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Commission's Memorandum Opinion and Order adopted November 10, 1994, and released December 9, 1994. A synopsis of the First Report and Order (First R&O) that was reconsidered in the MO&O may be found at 58 FR 27658 (May 11, 1993). This action will not add or decrease the public reporting burden. The full text of this Commission decision is available for inspection and copying during regular business hours in the FCC Reference Center (room 239), 1919 M Street, NW., Washington, DC. The complete text of this decision may also be purchased from the Commission's duplication contractor, International Transcription Service, (202) 857-3800, 2100 M Street, NW., Washington, DC 20037. Synopsis of Memorandum Opinion and Order I. Introduction 1. By this action, the Commission amends, clarifies or affirms certain aspects of its rule implementing the program access provisions on the Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992 (1992 Cable Act).\1\ This action is taken in response to nine (9) petitions for reconsideration of the rules adopted in the First Report and Order in MM Docket 92-265 (First R&O), 8 FCC Rcd 3359 (1993); 58 FR 27658 (May 11, 1993). This MO&O, disposes of all but one\2\ of the petitions for reconsideration. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \1\Pub. L. No. 102-385, 106 Stat. 1460 section 19 (1992), amending Communications Act of 1934, section 208. \2\The National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative's (NRTC) petition for reconsideration of the Commission's rule implementing section 628(c)(2)(C) of the Communications Act will be addressed in a separate MO&O. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. The 1992 Cable Act amended the Communications Act of 1934, in part, by adding among other things, new section 628. Section 628 is intended to foster the development of competition to traditional cable systems by governing the access by competing multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) to cable programming services. Section 628(b) prohibits ``unfair methods of competition or unfair or deceptive acts or practices, the purpose or effect of which is to hinder significantly or to prevent'' competing distributors from providing programming to their customers. Section 628(c) instructs the Commission to adopt regulations to specify particular conduct that is prohibited by subsection (b). Pursuant to that mandate, on April 1, 1993 the Commission adopted its First Report and Order, which set forth the Commission's program access rules and procedures to implement these statutory provisions. II. Damages 3. Section 628(e) grants the Commission the authority, upon completion of the adjudication of a program access complaint, ``to order appropriate remedies, including, if necessary, the power to establish prices, terms, and conditions of sale of programming.'' 47 U.S.C. 548(e). In the First R&O, we stated that we did not believe that the 1992 Cable Act provided us with the authority to assess damages against a cable operator or programming vendor. Petitioners claim that the statute provides the Commission with broad authority to order appropriate remedies and that damages are appropriate remedies. Petitioners also argue that damages are a necessary incentive to comply with the program access provisions. In response to the petitions, we have reexamined the statute and the legislative history and we now conclude that section 628(e) provides the Commission with broad authority to order appropriate remedies, including damages. While we have determined that the statute's grant of power to the Commission to award appropriate remedies is broad enough to include damages, we are not persuaded that creating such a remedy for violations of the program access rules is necessary at this time. We believe that the sanctions available to the Commission, together with the program access complaint process are sufficient to deter entities from violating the program access rules. If, contrary to our expectations, it is brought to our attention that our current processes are not working, we will consider revisiting this issue. III. Attribution Issues 4. The program access provisions in the 1992 Cable Act apply to cable operators, satellite cable programming vendors in which a cable operator has an attributable interest, and satellite broadcast programming vendors. 47 U.S.C. 548(b), (c)(2). In assessing vertical integration, the Commission stated in the First R&O that a cable operator would have an attributable interest in a programming vendor if the cable operator holds five percent or more of the stock of the programming vendor, whether voting or non-voting. In the interest of clarity and certainty, the Commission declined to adopt a behavioral test for assessing attributable interests. The Commission also declined to adopt an exemption based on a programming vendor's de minimis vertical interests, noting that the data in the record was insufficient to support a point at which a programming vendor's vertical interests no longer provide the incentives to favor their affiliated cable operators. First R&O, 8 FCC Rcd at 3371 n. 19. 5. Petitioners support their renewed request for a de minimis exemption to the attribution standard with an economic study which analyzes the profitability of discriminatory practices in terms of the potential for such discrimination successfully to induce customers to switch to the vertically integrated firm's cable system. The study concludes that there are no economic incentives for anticompetitive behavior by vertically integrated firms with small (under 5%) national subscriber levels. The Commission finds that the analysis in the economic study does not provide a sufficient basis for reversing our previous denial of this exemption. Moreover, in passing the program access provisions of the 1992 Cable Act, Congress was concerned with the ability of competing distributors to obtain access to programming and there is no indication that Congress intended the Commission to carve out various across-the-board exemptions to the program access rules. 6. Petitioners also sought exemptions to the attribution standard for minority-owned cable programming vendors, educational or informational programming, and marketing or technological experiments. The Commission has determined not to adopt a more flexible attribution rule for minority-owned programming vendors or the single majority shareholder provisions of the broadcast attribution standard. Among other reasons, the Commission does not believe that the adoption of such standards will further the goal of encouraging minority ownership or promote the public interest goal of programming diversity. Instead, we believe that it has the potential to affect the consistent application of the vertical integration standard and the program access rules. With respect to educational and informational type programming, the Commission recognizes Congress' intent to promote such programming; however, we do not believe that altering the attribution standard is the most appropriate way of effectuating this policy. Moreover, we believe that altering the standard does not further diversity goals. Finally, the Commission recognizes the necessity for programmers to conduct marketing and technology experiments and demonstrations, however, to adopt the requested exemption to the rules would raise the potential for abuse and circumvention of the rules. In any event, we believe that the program access rules already accommodate the need for experiments and demonstrations, and a general exemption is unnecessary. 7. Petitioners challenge the Commission's determination in the First R&O rejecting the imposition of a showing of vertical integration in the specific market at issue as an element of a claim under section 628(c). We affirm our prior determination, noting that Congress was concerned with industry-wide influences that can occur even in the absence of a vertical relationship in a complainant's specific market. IV. Competitive Harm or Hindrance to Access 8. Section 628(b) prohibits conduct ``the purpose or effect of which is to hinder significantly or to prevent'' any MVPD from distributing programming to subscribers or consumers. 47 U.S.C. 548(b). Section 628(c) requires the Commission to adopt regulations proscribing particular specified conduct. In the First R&O, the Commission determined that a complainant alleging a violation of section 628(b) must demonstrate that its ability to distribute programming to its customers has been hampered by the conduct. 8 FCC Rcd at 3374. However, with respect to complaints alleging violations of the rules adopted pursuant to Section 628(c), the Commission determined that the complainant need not demonstrate either specific or generalized harm to competition, rather the harm is implicit in the practices specified in the subsections of 628(c). Id. at 3377. In response to petitions to reconsider this determination, we affirm that there is no requirement to show harm in a complaint alleging violations of conduct prohibited by the rules adopted pursuant to Section 628(c). V. Confidentiality 9. In the First R&O, the Commission established procedures for the adjudication of program access complaints, including a requirement that before filing a complaint the aggrieved MVPD must notify the potential defendant of his intent to file the complaint based on conduct allegedly in violation of the rules and must wait at least ten days after notification before filing the complaint. 47 CFR 76.1003(a). In addition, within its program access rules, the Commission provided confidentiality protection for proprietary information submitted or generated in the course of adjudicating a complaint. 47 CFR 76.1003(h). The Commission's rule allows a party to designate materials as proprietary ``if the party believes in good faith that the materials fall within an exemption to disclosure contained in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(b).'' 47 CFR 76.1003(h)(1). The rule also designates persons to whom the proprietary material may be disclosed only for use in the defense or prosecution of the complaint action.\3\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \3\47 CFR 76.1003(h)(2) provides that: Materials marked as proprietary may be disclosed solely to the following persons, only for use in prosecuting or defending a party to the complaint action, and only to the extent necessary to assist in the prosecution or defense of the case: (i) Counsel of record representing the parties in the complaint action and any support personnel employed by such attorneys; (ii) Officers or employees of the opposing party who are named by the opposing party as being directly involved in the prosecution or defense of the case; (iii) Consultants or expert witnesses retained by the parties; (iv) The Commission and its staff; and (v) Court reporters and stenographers in accordance with the terms and conditions of this section. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. In response to petitions regarding the exchange of proprietary information at the pre-complaint notification stage, and the sensitive nature of certain proprietary information, we amend our rules relating to confidential protection of proprietary information. The Commission extends the confidentiality protection for proprietary information contained in Secs. 76.1003 (h) and (i) to proprietary information that is exchanged among parties during the pre-complaint negotiation period required under Sec. 76.1003(a). In addition, the Commission believes that there may be situations, due to the competitively sensitive nature of some information, where it is necessary to restrict access to a party's proprietary information to a smaller group of individuals than that provided under the current rules. Therefore, the Commission amends Sec. 76.1003(h)(3) to provide that the Commission will entertain, subject to a proper showing, a party's request to restrict further access to proprietary information as specified by the party. The opposing party will have an opportunity to respond to such requests. VI. Cost Justification 11. Section 628(c)(2)(B) requires the Commission to promulgate regulations that prohibit a vertically integrated satellite cable programming vendor or a satellite broadcast programming vendor from discriminating in the price, terms and conditions in the sale and delivery of satellite cable or satellite broadcast programming. However, under section 628(c)(2)(B)(ii), a vertically integrated satellite cable programming vendor or a satellite broadcast programming vendor may establish different prices ``to take into account differences in the cost of creation, sale, delivery, or transmission of * * * programming.'' 47 U.S.C. 548(c)(2)(B)(ii). In the First R&O, we adopted definitions and guidelines for permitted cost justifications for pricing differentials, including cost differences at the wholesale level among distributors. In connection with pricing based on differences in wholesale costs, we noted that the record supported the Notice's preliminary conclusion that delivery of programming to home satellite dish distributors may have a higher cost than service to other distributors using different delivery systems such as cable operators. First R&O, 8 FCC Rcd at 3406. In addition, we assessed whether a vendor may take into account cost differences incurred by distributors in providing service to subscribers, and concluded that this would be contrary to the purposes of the Act as it could artificially raise the retail price of programming and discourage the development of low-cost technologies. First R&O, 8 FCC Rcd at 3406. 12. Petitioners contend that the Commission should allow a programming vendor to consider the differences in distributors' costs, e.g. costs at the retail level. The Commission reaffirms its prior determination that a programming vendor may not take into account distributors' cost differences at the retail level. In response to a petition claiming that the Commission pre-judged questions regarding possible cost justifications for pricing differentials in sales to home satellite dish distributors, we state that we have not pre-judged the costs that may be involved in supplying programming to HSD distributors in any particular situation, but merely recognized that cost differentials can exist and may be used to justify a price differential. VII. Effective Date/Application of the Rules 13. In First R&O, the Commission determined that the rules adopted under Section 628 apply prospectively to all existing contracts, whether the contracts were executed before or after the effective date of the rules. The Commission based its determination on its belief that by expressly grandfathering only a narrow class of contracts in Section 628(h), Congress did not intend to exempt generally all existing contracts from the scope of the anti-discrimination requirements of section 628 and on the fact that the long term nature of many programming agreements would delay for several years the uniform implementation of the anti-discrimination rules. First R&O, 8 FCC Rcd at 3415. To avoid disruption to the market and to the entities involved, the Commission afforded the parties until November 15, 1993 (120 days after the effective date of the new rules) to bring their agreements into compliance. Id.; 47 CFR 76.1002(f). Petitioners contend that the rules should not apply to existing contracts. The Commission reaffirms its determination in the First R&O that only the narrow class of contracts, grandfathered by section 628(h) are exempt from the Commission's rules.\4\ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \4\Three additional petitions were filed that relate to the effective date of the program access rules. The issues raised in those petitions are now moot. Specifically, a petition was filed contending that the program access rules against exclusive contracts should be deemed effective immediately upon the enactment of the 1992 Cable Act (December 4, 1992) or on the effective date of the Commission's program access rules (July 16, 1993) in contrast to delaying the effective date of the rules until the end of the 120 day renegotiation period that was provided for under the rules. Because the rules are now effective, the issue raised is moot. Another petition was filed requesting the Commission to specify a specific date before which any party intending to enforce an existing exclusive programming agreement must file an exclusivity petition. Petitioner contended that the 120-day renegotiation period before the program access rules became effective applies only to discrimination barred by the rules and not exclusive agreements. Because all existing contracts must be in compliance with the rules, this request also is moot. Finally, petitions were filed contending that distributors seeking to revise existing contracts should be required to demonstrate that the current contracts terms have the purpose or effect to harm the distributor's ability to compete. Petitioners contended that under this proposal only the contracts that create a potential for harm will need to be reformed, while other agreements can be brought into strict compliance with the rules as they come up for renewal, thereby avoiding administrative upheavals to programmers. The November 15, 1993 deadline by which all contracts were required to come into compliance with the Act and our rules has now passed and thus these issues are moot. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- VIII. Subdistribution Agreements 14. Subdistribution agreements are sales agreements between a programming vendor and, in most instances, a franchised cable operator, through which the franchised cable operator sells the vendor's programming to competing MVPDs. In the First R&O, the Commission expressed its concern that in areas served and unserved by a cable operator a distributor's access to programming may be impaired by the use of subdistribution agreements. The Commission's rule 76.1002(c)(3) limited subdistribution agreements by prohibiting all subdistribution agreements in unserved areas and placing limitations on such agreements in served areas. These limitations prohibit the cable operator who subdistributes a vertically integrated programming service from requiring a competing MVPD to purchase additional or unrelated programming as a condition of such subdistribution; to provide access to private property in exchange for access to programming; or from charging a competing MVPD more for the programming than the programming vendor itself would be permitted to charge. The rule further requires any cable operator acting as a subdistributor to respond to a request for access to the programming by a competing MVPD within fifteen (15) days and requires that if its request is denied, the competing MVPD be permitted to negotiate directly with the satellite cable programming vendor or satellite broadcast programming vendor. 47 CFR 76.1002(c)(3)(iii). 15. Petitioner requested the Commission to clarify the rules on subdistribution agreements so that the same rules apply to served and unserved areas. We have determined that there is no need to prohibit all subdistribution arrangements in unserved areas, as long as no cable operator has exclusive subdistribution rights in unserved areas and, thus, an MVPD would have a choice of outlets for its programming needs. The requirement in Sec. 76.1002(c)(3)(iii) to allow direct negotiations with the programmer is intended to make all subdistribution agreements in served areas nonexclusive. Therefore, the Commission amends its rules to clarify that nonexclusive subdistribution arrangements both in served and unserved areas are treated consistently and subject to the protection provided by the requirements of Sec. 76.1002(c)(3)(iii). IX. De minimis Price Differentials and Similarly Situated Distributors 16. In the First R&O, the Commission determined that in price discrimination cases, in order to conserve administrative resources and avoid protracted adjudication solely to resolve accounting issues, we will not require a vendor to justify the magnitude of a price differential between a complainant and its competitor that is equal to or less than five cents per subscriber or five percent, whichever is larger, so long as the vendor provides sufficient reasons, justified by the statutory factors, for a difference in price. First R&O, 8 FCC Rcd at 3420. The Commission further determined that, although an MVPD can bring a discrimination claim merely by demonstrating that another MVPD with which it does or proposes to compete has received more favorable terms from the vertically integrated programming vendor, the competing MVPD identified by the complainant may not be a proper point of comparison. Id. at 3401. Therefore, the Commission determined that, in justifying the price, terms and conditions of a contract, a programming vendor may demonstrate that the proper comparison is between the complainant and a similarly-situated distributor, rather than the complainant and the competitor named in the complaint. Id. at 3401-02. 17. Petitioner sought, and we grant the request, for clarification that under Sec. 76.1003(d), once a programmer has persuaded the Commission that a ``similarly-situated'' competitor is the proper focus for comparison, the same rationale would apply with respect to making a determination as to whether the price differential is de minimis. That is, the price charged or offered to the complainant will be compared to the price charged to the similarly-situated distributor. X. Buying Groups 18. Section 628(c)(2)(B) allows a programming vender to justify differences in price, terms or conditions of sale of programming on factors such as economies of scale or other efficiencies to the programming vendor due to the number of subscribers served by the distributor. In the First R&O, the Commission stated that in order to benefit from unitary treatment for purposes of subscriber volume, a buying group should offer advantages similar to a single distributor, including assurance of satisfactory financial performance. 8 FCC Rcd at 3411. The Commission adopted a definition of a buying group requiring the group to be financially liable for any fees due under a programming contract which it signs or whose members agree to joint and several liability. Id. at 3412; 47 CFR 76. 1000(c). 19. Petitioners claimed that the definition of ``buying group'' in the rules offers little or no assurance that such buying group is capable of satisfying its financial obligations because it enable members of the group to shift all liability to the corporate entity acting as the buying group, without requiring each member to agree to joint and several liability. While we affirm the definition of buying group in Sec. 76.1000(c) as adopted, to address the concerns raised by the petitioning parties, we clarify that, in those situations where a seller has reasonable doubts about the financial stability and responsibility of the buying group, it may insist on appropriate assurances of creditworthiness. Buying groups could satisfy this burden through various measures, such as requiring each individual member of the group to guarantee to the group its pro rata share of the fees due under a programming contract. XI. Competing Distributors 20. Section 628(c)(2)(B) requires the Commission to adopt regulations which prohibit discrimination in the prices, terms, and conditions of sale or delivery of programming. In the First R&O, the Commission determined that discrimination exists when the same programming is sold to a competing distributor at a different price without justification by one of the factors enumerated in section 628(c)(2)(B). To establish that another distributor is a competitor, the Commission requires some overlap in actual or proposed service area, First R&O, 8 FCC Rcd at 3400. The Commission received petitions for reconsideration with respect to the definition of competing distributor, requesting that the Commission require cable operators bringing complaints of discrimination to show a substantial (at least 50%) overlap with the service area of a competing MVPD. The Commission does not find that a change in the definition of a competing distributor is necessary or justified. XII. Clarifying the First R&O 21. On our own motion, we take the opportunity in this Order to emphasize certain procedural requirements under the program access rules and clarify the discussion of those requirements in the First Report and Order.\5\ The Commission initially notes that the actual rules that set forth the procedural requirements for program access complaints are clear that they apply both to section 628(b) and section 628(c) cases. 47 CFR 76.1003(a)-(s). However, these procedural requirements are not consistently discussed throughout the text of the First Report and Order. The Commission emphasizes here that these procedural requirements are applicable to every type of program access complaint. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \5\See 47 CFR 1.108. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22. For example, the First R&O discusses the requirement set forth in the rules that prior to filing a complaint, the complainant must notify the opposing party of its intention to file a complaint.\6\ This pre-complaint notice provision is applicable to all program access complaints. Similarly, the First R&O discusses the one year ``statute of limitations'' within which to bring complaints.\7\ This one year limit is applicable to all types of program access complaints. In addition, the First R&O discusses the contents of program access complaints and states that they must specify the relief requested.\8\ This requirement is applicable to all program access complaints. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- \6\See First R&O, 8 FCC Rcd at 3416, 3422, 3424. In addition, the general Complaint and Enforcement Procedures contain a notice requirement provision. Id. at 3389. \7\Id. at 3416, 3422, 3425. There also is a one year statute of limitations set out in the general Complaint and Enforcement Procedures. Id. at 3389. \8\Id. at 3389, 3422, 3425. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- XIII. Ordering Clauses 23. Accordingly, it is ordered, that the Petitions for Reconsideration are granted in part and denied in part, as indicated above and to the extent that Petitions raise issues concerning exclusive contracts with non-cable distributors, they will be disposed of in future orders. 24. It is further ordered that part 76 of the Commission's rules, 47 U.S.C. part 76, is amended, as set forth below. List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 76 Cable television. Federal Communications Commission. LaVera F. Marshall, Acting Secretary. Amendatory Text Part 76 of title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations is amended as follows: Part 76--Cable Television Service 1. The authority citation for part 76 continues to read as follows: Authority: Secs. 2, 3, 4, 301, 303, 307, 308, 309, 48 Stat., as amended, 1064, 1065, 1066, 1081, 1082, 1083, 1084, 1085, 1101; 47 U.S.C. secs. 152, 153, 154, 301, 303, 307, 308, 309, 532, 533, 535, 542, 543, 552 as amended, 106 Stat. 1460. 2. Section 76.1003 is amended by revising paragraph (h) to read as follows: Sec. 76.1003 Adjudicatory proceedings. * * * * * (h) Confidentiality of proprietary information. (1) Any materials generated or provided by a party in connection with the pre-complaint notification procedure required under Sec. 76.1003(a) and in the course of adjudicating a program access complaint under this provision may be designated as proprietary by that party if the party believes in good faith that the materials fall within an exemption to disclosure contained in the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(b). Any party asserting confidentiality for such materials shall so indicate by clearly marking each page, or portion thereof, for which a proprietary designation is claimed. If a proprietary designation is challenged, the party claiming confidentiality will have the burden of demonstrating, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the material designated as proprietary falls under the standards for nondisclosure enunciated in the FOIA. (2) Except as provided in paragraph (h)(3) of this section, materials marked as proprietary may be disclosed solely to the following persons, only for use in prosecuting or defending a party to the complaint action, and only to the extent necessary to assist in the prosecution or defense of the case: (i) Counsel of record representing the parties in the complaint action and any support personnel employed by such attorneys; (ii) Officers or employees of the opposing party who are named by the opposing party as being directly involved in the prosecution or defense of the case; (iii) Consultants or expert witnesses retained by the parties; (iv) The Commission and its staff; and (v) Court reporters and stenographers in accordance with the terms and conditions of this section. (3) The Commission will entertain, subject to a proper showing, a party's request to further restrict access to proprietary information as specified by the party. The opposing party will have an opportunity to respond to such requests. (4) The persons designated in paragraphs (h) (2) and (3) of this section shall not disclose information designated as proprietary to any person who is not authorized under this section to receive such information, and shall not use the information in any activity or function other than the prosecution or defense in the case before the Commission. Each individual who is provided access to the information by the opposing party shall sign a notarized statement affirmatively stating, or shall certify under penalty of perjury, that the individual has personally reviewed the Commission's rules and understands the limitations they impose on the signing party. (5) No copies of materials marked proprietary may be made except copies to be used by persons designated in paragraphs (h) (2) or (3) of this section. Each party shall maintain a log recording the number of copies made of all proprietary material and the persons to whom the copies have been provided. (6) Upon termination of the complaint proceeding, including all appeals and petitions, all originals and reproductions of any proprietary materials, along with the log recording persons who received copies of such materials, shall be provided to the producing party. In addition, upon final termination of the complaint proceeding, any notes or other work product derived in whole or in part from the proprietary materials of an opposing or third party shall be destroyed. * * * * * 3. Section 76.1002 is amended by removing paragraph (c)(3)(i) and redesignating (c)(3)(ii) and (c)(3)(iii) as paragraphs (c)(3)(i) and (c)(3)(ii), respectively, and revising them to read as follows: Sec. 76.1002 Specific unfair practices prohibited. * * * * * (c) Exclusive contracts and other practices and arrangements. * * * (3) Specific arrangements: subdistribution agreements.--(i) Unserved and served areas. No cable operator shall enter into any subdistribution agreement or arrangement for satellite cable programming or satellite broadcast programming with a satellite cable programming vendor in which a cable operator has an attributable interest or a satellite broadcast programming vendor in which a cable operator has an attributable interest, with respect to areas served or unserved by a cable operator, unless such agreement or arrangement complies with the limitations set forth in paragraph (c)(3)(ii) of this section. (ii) Limitations on subdistribution agreements. No cable operator engaged in subdistribution of satellite cable programming or satellite broadcast programming may require a competing multichannel video programming distributor to: (A) Purchase additional or unrelated programming as a condition of such subdistribution; or (B) Provide access to private property in exchange for access to programming. In addition, a subdistributor may not charge a competing multichannel video programming distributor more for said programming than the satellite cable programming vendor or satellite broadcast programming vendor itself would be permitted to charge. Any cable operator acting as a subdistributor of satellite cable programming or satellite broadcast programming must respond to a request for access to such programming by a competing multichannel video programming distributor within fifteen (15) days of the request. If the request is denied, the competing multichannel video programming distributor must be permitted to negotiate directly with the satellite cable programming vendor or satellite broadcast programming vendor. * * * * * [FR Doc. 94-31561 Filed 12-22-94; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6712-01-M