Summary

Requires the Federal Communications Commission to adopt rules within 90 days forcing cable operators and direct broadcast satellite providers to give subscribers rebates whenever those providers deny access to video programming that they had promised to provide at subscription entry or renewal, because of retransmission-consent or carriage negotiations. The FCC must also set a method for calculating the rebate amount.

• FCC must adopt regulations within 90 days requiring pay-TV providers to rebate subscribers for program blackouts caused by covered negotiations.
• Rebates apply when a provider denies access to programming that it had agreed to provide at subscription start or renewal.
• Covered negotiations include retransmission-consent disputes and carriage negotiations for non-broadcast programming.
• The FCC is directed to establish how to calculate rebate amounts and the method for issuing rebates.
• The law places a new consumer-protection obligation on cable and direct broadcast satellite providers.
• The statutory text does not specify rebate formulas, exceptions, or enforcement penalties—those will be set by the FCC.
• The requirement is procedural and focused on consumer refunds rather than changing retransmission-consent law itself.
• Implementation timing is accelerated: the FCC must act within a relatively short 90-day window.