Protecting Community Television Act

This bill is called the Protecting Community Television Act. It changes the Communications Act of 1934 by updating how “franchise fee” is defined for cable services. Specifically, it replaces the word “includes” with “means” in the law’s definition, which tightens and clarifies what counts as a franchise fee under Section 622(g)(1) (47 U.S.C. 542(g)(1)).

• Who is affected: Local governments, cable providers, and community TV channels that rely on franchise agreements.
• What changes: The definition of “franchise fee” is made more exact by changing “includes” to “means,” clarifying what is counted as a fee under the law.
• Why it matters: A clearer definition can affect how much money local communities receive from cable companies and how community TV is funded and supported.