§561 — Title 47 Telegraphs, Telephones, and Radiotelegraphs | U.S. Code

Summary

Cable and satellite TV providers must completely block or scramble the picture and sound of any channel that is mainly for adult sexual content so people who don’t subscribe to that channel cannot get it. Until they do that, they must not air that content during the hours the Commission says many children are likely to be watching. Scramble means mixing up the signal so the picture and sound can’t be understood.

Title 47, §561

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

(a)In providing sexually explicit adult programming or other programming that is indecent on any channel of its service primarily dedicated to sexually-oriented programming, a multichannel video programming distributor shall fully scramble or otherwise fully block the video and audio portion of such channel so that one not a subscriber to such channel or programming does not receive it.

(b)Until a multichannel video programming distributor complies with the requirement set forth in subsection (a), the distributor shall limit the access of children to the programming referred to in that subsection by not providing such programming during the hours of the day (as determined by the Commission) when a significant number of children are likely to view it.

(c)As used in this section, the term “scramble” means to rearrange the content of the signal of the programming so that the programming cannot be viewed or heard in an understandable manner.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

ConstitutionalityFor information regarding the constitutionality of this section, see the Table of Laws Held Unconstitutional in Whole or in Part by the Supreme Court on the Constitution Annotated website, constitution.congress.gov.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 104–104, title V, § 505(b), Feb. 8, 1996, 110 Stat. 136, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [enacting this section] shall take effect 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Feb. 8, 1996].”

§561 Scrambling of Sexually Explicit Adult Video Service Programming