Cable Television Consumer Protection Act of 1989

[AI summary unavailable — showing source text] Cable Television Consumer Protection Act of 1989 - Amends the Communications Act of 1934 to authorize a franchising authority to regulate rates of a cable system for the provision of basic cable and for installing or renting equipment necessary for the receipt of such services if the franchise authority determines that the cable system is not subject to effective competition. Presumes effective competition if: (1) fewer than 30 percent of the households in the cable community subscribe to the cable service of such cable system; or (2) the cable community is served by more than one multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD). Outlines the circumstances under which a cable community shall be considered to be served by more than one MVPD. Requires a franchising authority authorized to regulate rates to establish a fair and efficient method for such regulation, in consultation with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the operator of any affected cable system. Requires each cable operator that relies upon compulsory licensing for secondary transmissions by its cable system (known hereafter as a participating operator) to carry the signals of qualified local broadcast s…