FCC Modernizes Children's Educational Television Programming Rules

“This page is a digitally archived AccessInfo Announcement”

On July 10, 2019, the FCC adopted a Report and Order and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to update its children’s educational television programming rules.  Among other things, the new rules allow up to 52 hours a year of children’s programming to consist of educational specials and/or short-form programming; and require stations to air the substantial majority of their educational and informational children’s programming on their primary program stream but allow stations to air up to 13 hours per quarter of regularly scheduled weekly programming on a multicast stream.

To monitor the extent to which children’s television programming remains accessible to children with disabilities, the FCC will issue a public notice within two years after the effective date of these changes.  The public notice will seek information on the extent to which short-form programming and children’s programming aired on multicast streams is closed captioned and/or video described. 

The Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comment on the creation of a framework in which broadcasters could satisfy their children’s programming obligations by relying, in part, on efforts to sponsor children’s programming aired on other in-market stations.

Links to the News Release:
Word:https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-358404A1.docx
PDF: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-358404A1.pdf
Text: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-358404A1.txt

Links to Commissioners’ Statements:
Pai Statement: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-modernizes-childrens-tv-programming-rules/pai-statement
O'Rielly Statement: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-modernizes-childrens-tv-programming-rules/orielly-statement
Carr Statement: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-modernizes-childrens-tv-programming-rules/carr-statement
Rosenworcel Statement: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-modernizes-childrens-tv-programming-rules/rosenworcel-statement
Starks Statement: https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-modernizes-childrens-tv-programming-rules/starks-statement

General information about children’s television programming is available at https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/childrens-educational-television.&…; For further information, please contact Kathy Berthot, Media Bureau, at 202-418-7454 or mailto:Kathy.Berthot@fcc.gov.  Individuals who use videophones and are fluent in American Sign Language (ASL) may call the FCC’s ASL Consumer Support Line at (844) 432-2275 / (202) 810-0444 (videophone).  Individuals using a text teletypewriter (TTY) may call the FCC’s TTY number at (888) 835-5322.