(a) In order to exercise exclusivity rights pursuant to §76.101, distributors or television stations shall notify each cable television system operator of the exclusivity sought in accordance with the requirements of this section. Syndicated program exclusivity notices shall include the following information:

(1) The name and address of the party requesting exclusivity and the television broadcast station or other party holding the exclusive right;

(2) The name of the program or series (including specific episodes where necessary) for which exclusivity is sought;

(3) The dates on which exclusivity is to begin and end.

(b): Broadcasters entering into contracts which contain syndicated exclusivity protection shall notify affected cable systems within sixty calendar days of the signing of such a contract. A broadcaster shall be entitled to exclusivity protection beginning on the later of:

(1) The date specified in its notice to the cable television system; or

(2) The first day of the calendar week (Sunday through Saturday) that begins 60 days after the cable television system receives notice from the broadcaster;

(c) In determining which programs must be deleted from a television broadcast signal, a cable television system operator may rely on information from any of the following sources published or otherwise made available.

(1) Newspapers or magazines of general circulation;

(2) A television station whose programs may be subject to deletion. If a cable television system asks a television station for information about its program schedule, the television station shall answer the request:

(i) Within ten business days following the television station's receipt of the request; or

(ii) Sixty days before the program or programs mentioned in the request for information will be broadcast; whichever comes later.

(3) The distributor or television station requesting exclusivity.

(d) In the event the exclusivity specified in paragraph (a) of this section has been limited or has ended prior to the time specified in the notice, the distributor or broadcaster who has supplied the original notice shall, as soon as possible, inform each cable television system operator that has previously received the notice of all changes from the original notice. In the event the original notice specified contingent dates on which exclusivity is to begin and/or end, the distributor or broadcaster shall, as soon as possible, notify the cable television system operator of the occurrence of the relevant contingency. Notice to be furnished “as soon as possible” under this paragraph shall be furnished by telephone, telegraph, facsimile, overnight mail or other similar expedient means.

[65 FR 68101, Nov. 14, 2000, as amended at 83 FR 7627, Feb. 22, 2018]