Children's Educational Television-Rules and Orders

On July 10, 2019, the Commission adopted new rules to provide broadcasters greater flexibility to meet children's television programming requirements. Most of the new rules took effect on September 16, 2019, and the remaining took effect on January 21, 2020. Under the new rules, TV stations are required to:

Air at least 156 hours annually of core programs, including at least 26 hours per quarter of regularly scheduled weekly programs; and
Air the majority of their core programs on their primary program stream. Stations that multicast more than one stream of video programming may air up to 13 hours per quarter of regularly scheduled weekly programs on one of their multicast streams.

[Note: The links below to various KidVid orders are up to date.]

3/27/20
Media Bureau Announces Extension of Time For Broadcasters To File Children's Programming Reports and Quarterly Issues/Programs Lists.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

1/23/20
Webinar on Revised Children's TV Report.
KidVid Webinar: Acrobat
KidVid Webinar Recording: Acrobat

1/8/20
Media Bureau to Host Webinar on Revised Children's TV Report.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

12/20/19
Media Bureau Announces KidVid Rules Effective Date & Related Guidance.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

11/15/19
Media Bureau Announces the Suspension of Quarterly Children's Reports.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/3/19
Media Bureau Announces Effective Date and Provides Guidance on Transition Procedures for Kidvid Reporting and Compliance With Revised Safe Harbor Processing Guidelines.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

Children's TV Obligations of Digital TV Broadcasters

As noted above, the Commission adopted new rules in July 2019. In its Notice of Proposed Rule Making, the Commission sought comment on a range of issues related to the obligation of digital television (“DTV”) broadcasters to serve children. This proceeding focused primarily on two areas: the obligation of television broadcast licensees to provide educational and informational programming for children and the requirement that television broadcast licensees limit the amount of advertising in children’s programs.

9/29/06
Second Order on Reconsideration and Second Report and Order FCC Revises Children's Television Obligations for Broadcasters.
Order: Word | Acrobat
News Release (9/26/06): Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat

3/24/06
FCC Releases Second Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making on Children's Television Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters. Comments Due: 04/24/2006; Reply Comments Due: 05/08/2006.
FNPRM: Word | Acrobat
Attachment (Joint Proposal of Industry & Advocates): Acrobat
News Release (3/17/06): Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat

12/16/05
Order Extending Effective Date In the Matter of Children's Television Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters.
Order: Word | Acrobat

1/31/05
Children's Television Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters.
Order on Reconsideration: Word | Acrobat

11/23/04
Children's Television Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters.
Report and Order and FNPRM: Word | Acrobat

10/5/00
Children’s Television Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters.
NPRM: Word97 | Acrobat | Text

Children's TV Programming Filing Requirements for Broadcasters

This Report and Order made a number of changes to the children’s educational television reporting requirements of commercial broadcast television licensees. The Commission extended indefinitely the requirement that commercial broadcast television licensees file with the Commission their quarterly Children’s Television Programming Reports (FCC Form 398). The Commission’s previous rules stated that such reports shall be completed quarterly and filed on an annual basis for an experimental period of three years, from January 1998 through January 2000. These reports are required to be filed electronically. Also, a number of revisions to FCC Form 398 were made to make the information contained in the form clearer and more useful to the public and the FCC. The R&O also adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to seek comment on whether broadcasters should be required to provide their completed Children’s Television Programming Reports at their own websites.

5/31/07
Extension of Time to File Comments on the Status of Children's Television Programming.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

4/17/07
Commission Seeks Comment on the Status of Children's Television Programming.
Public Notice: Word | Acrobat

9/26/06
Second Order on Reconsideration and Second Report and Order FCC Revises Children's Television Obligations for Broadcasters.
Order: Word | Acrobat
News Release (9/26/06): Word | Acrobat
Martin Statement: Word | Acrobat
Copps Statement: Word | Acrobat
Adelstein Statement: Word | Acrobat
Tate Statement: Word | Acrobat
McDowell Statement: Word | Acrobat

10/5/00
Extension of the Filing Requirement For Children’s Television Programming Reports (FCC Form 398).
Report & Order and FNPRM: Word97 | Acrobat | Text

10/5/00
Extension of the Filing Requirement For Children’s Television Programming Reports (FCC Form 398).
NPRM: Word97 | Text

1997-1999
Three Year Staff Review of the Implementation of Children's Television Rules and Guidelines.
Word | Acrobat

For more information pertaining to the Policy Division, please call: (202) 418-2120.

FCC > Policy Division

Bureau/Office:

Media

Tags:

Updated:
Tuesday, October 5, 2021