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Title 47 — Telegraphs, Telephones, and RadiotelegraphsRelease 119-73

§303b Consideration of children’s television service in broadcast license renewal

Title 47 › Chapter CHAPTER 5— - WIRE OR RADIO COMMUNICATION › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER III— - SPECIAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO RADIO › Part Part I— - General Provisions › § 303b

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

When the required children's-TV standards are in effect, the Commission must, when renewing any commercial or noncommercial TV broadcast license, check whether the licensee followed those standards and whether its overall programming, including shows made for children, met kids’ educational and informational needs. The Commission may also consider extra nonbroadcast efforts that boost a program’s educational value and any help the licensee gives to child-focused shows aired by another station in its local market.

Full Legal Text

Title 47, §303b

Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)After the standards required by section 303a of this title are in effect, the Commission shall, in its review of any application for renewal of a commercial or noncommercial television broadcast license, consider the extent to which the licensee—
(1)has complied with such standards; and
(2)has served the educational and informational needs of children through the licensee’s overall programming, including programming specifically designed to serve such needs.
(b)In addition to consideration of the licensee’s programming as required under subsection (a), the Commission may consider—
(1)any special nonbroadcast efforts by the licensee which enhance the educational and informational value of such programming to children; and
(2)any special efforts by the licensee to produce or support programming broadcast by another station in the licensee’s marketplace which is specifically designed to serve the educational and informational needs of children.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the Children’s Television Act of 1990, and not as part of the Communications Act of 1934 which comprises this chapter.

Amendments

1994—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 103–414 substituted “noncommercial” for “noncommerical”. 1992—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 102–356 inserted reference to commercial or noncommercial television broadcast licenses.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

47 U.S.C. § 303b

Title 47 — Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73