The National Communications Commission yesterday announced that it would soon change the definition of first-time broadcast movies or programs to lower the rerun rate on the nation’s cable TV channels.
The commission made the announcement after the Consumers’ Foundation on Tuesday said that cable TV channels generally have an exceedingly high rerun rate, which at some reaches 50 percent.
The commission has approved an amendment to the regulations governing the establishment, evaluation and license renewal of satellite broadcasting businesses, as well as the definition of first-time broadcast programs, commission spokesman Wong Po-tsung (翁柏宗) said.
When a movie is broadcast on a cable or multimedia-on-demand (MOD) system for the first time, it would be considered a new movie for that platform, it said.
First-time broadcast programs refer to those that a channel airs for the first time, the commission added.
Prior to the amendment, a cable TV channel could meet the criteria even if it broadcasts a movie or a program that has been aired by other channels more than once, as long it has never broadcast the movie or the program itself.
However, the amendment would change the definition of first-time broadcast movies or programs to those aired within five years after they first appeared on a cable or MOD system.
A channel would be considered to be rerunning a movie or a program if it has been more than five years since it first aired, according to the amendment.
For example, if The Bohemian Rhapsody is broadcast by a cable TV channel this year, other channels would not be considered to be rerunning the movie if they air it before 2023.
The amendment raised concerns that it could negatively affect movie channels, as they have relatively limited options compared with regular channels.
However, Wong said that channels that only broadcast classic movies or documentaries would not be affected by the change.
As the proposal is likely to affect some channels’ license renewal chances, the commission would hear opinions from channel operators for the next two months, which is the legally required period before any regulatory change can take effect, it said.
The passing grade of channel evaluation would be raised from 60 points out of 100 to 70 points, Wong said.
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