FCC Reinstates Exclusive Rights

The Federal Communications Commission today reimposed rules that permit owners of television programs to sell them with exclusive broadcasting rights.

FCC chairman Dennis Patrick said the new rules, to go into effect in a year, would promote more diversified programming. Previous exclusivity rules were dropped in 1980. FCC officials said that both cable stations and local stations would now be able to bid for exclusive rights to shows such as “MASH” and that the market would set the price. Under the new rules, a local television station will be able to buy a syndicated program with exclusive broadcast rights and not be concerned that a cable company could also buy it and bring it into its area.