Goodlatte & Coble Introduce STELA Reauthorization Bill

Washington, D.C. — House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet Subcommittee Chairman Howard Coble (R-N.C.) today introduced the Satellite Television Access Reauthorization Act of 2014 (H.R. 5036), to extend the expiring provisions of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act (STELA) of 2010 which governs satellite companies’ ability to retransmit broadcast television.  The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to mark-up H.R. 5036 on Thursday, July 10, 2014.    

There are three statutory licenses that enable copyrighted video content to be made available without permission, two of which are permanent as a matter of law and one that will expire on December 31, 2014, unless renewed by Congress.  First enacted in 1988 and renewed most recently in 2010 with the passage of STELA, the expiring statutory license permits a satellite carrier to retransmit distant over-the-air television broadcast stations to its subscribers for private home viewing.  Without this license, satellite companies would need to negotiate with the limited number of distant network stations for carriage rights in order to deliver that distant content to its rural subscribers who live in areas not served by local content.  H.R. 5036 simply extends the expiring statutory license permit, contained in STELA, for five years. 

Below are statements from Chairman Goodlatte and Chairman Coble on the bill’s introduction.

Chairman Goodlatte: “The vast majority of Americans have relied upon satellite and cable services for access to a wide variety of video content, ranging from nighttime entertainment for their families; educational shows for their children; local and national news with information that informs them; and public access channels that empower Americans to see their local, state, and federal representatives in action. Without Congressional action to renew the expiring video license, access to these services could be in jeopardy, especially for rural Americans.  I look forward to working with members of the Energy and Commerce Committee and House Leadership to ensure swift passage of a reauthorization of STELA.”     

Chairman Coble: “This legislation extends existing compulsory licenses for satellite television services.  These licenses are set to expire January 1, 2105, and this extension will implement no change to the existing licenses.  I, along with my satellite viewing constituents, look forward to seeing its quick enactment.”

Text of the bill can be found here.