H.R. 6072: Independent Programmers Tax Incentive Act

This bill allows a new tax credit for carriage of qualified independent programmers by eligible distributors and multichannel video programming distributors based on license fees and the average number of subscribers. The bill defines eligible distributor as any person that is either engaged in the trade or business of being a multichannel video programming distributor, or a virtual multichannel video programming distributor.

The term multichannel video programming distributor is defined in federal regulations as any entity engaged in the business of making available for purchase, by subscribers or customers, multiple channels of video programming. Such entities include, but are not limited to, a cable operator, a BRS/EBS provider, a direct broadcast satellite service, a television receive-only satellite program distributor, and a satellite master antenna television system operator, as well as buying groups or agents of all such entities.

The bill defines qualified independent programmer as a U.S.-based person engaged in the production, creation, or wholesale distribution of linear video programming (including, but not limited to, women-, minority-, or socially disadvantaged-, owned programmers) if such person is not a publicly-traded company, multichannel video programming distributor, virtual multichannel video programming distributor, network, or television station company.

Written by the Congressional Research Service, Library of Congress.