Educational Broadcasting Facilities and Telecommunications Demonstration Act of 1976

(Reported to Senate from the Committee on Commerce with amendment, S. Rept. 94-813)

Educational Broadcasting Facilities and Telecommunications Demonstration Act - States that an additional purpose of the Communications Act of 1934 shall be to demonstrate the use of telecommunications technologies for the dissemination of health, education and other public or social service information.

Authorizes appropriations for the period July 1, 1976, through September 30, 1977, of $37,500,000 to assist in the construction of noncommercial educational broadcasting facilities. Authorizes grants for such purpose to public or private nonprofit colleges and universities or other educational or cultural institutions which are affiliated with eligible colleges or universities (formerly only educational institutions deriving support from tax revenues were eligible).

Provides new criteria for determining whether to approve applications for television grants.

Directs the Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare to coordinate his functions under such Act with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as well as the Federal Communications Commission.

Expands the definition of "construction" to include apparatus used for transmitting closed circuit radio programs as well as television programs.

Encourages the development of nonbroadcast telecommunications facilities and services for the transmission of health, education, and public or social service information. Authorizes the appropriation of funds, and the making of grants to assist such development.