Federal Register: FCC (Broadcasting)

In this document, Commission acts to eliminate certain outdated, obsolete, and unnecessary rules.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on proposed rule changes that would support and accelerate the nation's ongoing market-based broadcast television transition to ATSC 3.0 (or Next Gen TV). The document tentatively concludes that the Commission should eliminate the simulcasting requirement for stations that transition to 3.0, while continuing to permit simulcasting on a voluntary, simplified basis. It also seeks comment on a range of closely related issues and other matters touching on the Next Gen TV transition.

This document proposes to amend the Table of FM Allotments, by substituting Channel 277A for vacant Channel 221A at Hamilton, Alabama; Channel 261B1 for vacant Channel 261B at Coalinga, California; Channel 289A for vacant Channel 291A at Rocksprings, Texas; Channel 261A for vacant Channel 221A at Silverton, Texas; and Channel 281C2 for vacant Channel 260C2 at Spur, Texas. The existing vacant FM channels are not in compliance with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) rules, and vacant Channel 261B at Coalinga is also not in compliance with the city-grade coverage requirements of the Commission's rules. See Supplementary Information.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on the Commission's media ownership rules. It asks whether the Local Radio Ownership Rule, the Local Television Ownership Rule, and the Dual Network Rule remain necessary in their existing form, or whether they should be modified of repealed. Section 202(h) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 directs the Commission to conduct such review every four years.

This document amends the Table of FM Allotments, of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules, by removing Channel 285A at Adamsville, Texas and by adding Channel 285A at Richland Springs, Texas. The staff engineering analysis determines that Channel 285A can be allotted to Richland Springs consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules, with a site restriction of 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) southeast of the community. The reference coordinates are 31-10-24 NL and 98-53-25 WL.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission's Media Bureau substitutes channel * 24 for channel * 4 at Jacksonville, Oregon in the Table of TV Allotments (table) in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by theDove Media, Inc. (TDM or Petitioner), the permittee of a new NCE television station to serve Jacksonville, Oregon (Jacksonville), with Facility ID No. 791569 (Station). The staff engineering analysis finds that the proposal is in compliance with the Commission's principal community coverage and technical requirements. The substitution of channel * 24 for channel * 4 in the table will allow TDM to construct its new facility on a UHF channel and avoid the known viewer reception issues on its currently authorized VHF channel.

This document proposes to amend the Table of TV Allotments (table) of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules by substituting channel *33 for *8 at Hutchinson, Kansas in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Kansas Public Telecommunications Service, Inc. (Kansas Public or Licensee), the licensee of noncommercial educational PBS member television station KPTS(TV) (KPTS or Station) channel *8, Hutchinson, Kansas (Hutchinson). In support of its channel substitution request, the Petitioner asserts that allowing the Station to move from a VHF to a UHF channel would serve the public interest by improving signal reception for viewers. The staff engineering analysis finds that the proposal is in compliance with the Commission's principal community coverage and technical requirements. The proposed channel change is predicted to result in service to more viewers, both through better signal quality and an expanded coverage area.

In this document, the Media Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) released an Order that re-codifies language that was inadvertently eliminated from the Commission's rules relating to information that must be provided by Next Gen TV broadcast stations in "non-expedited" applications for ATSC 3.0 service. This Order does not change any regulatory obligations.

This document requests comments on a petition for rule making filed SSR Communications, Inc., proposing to amend the Table of FM Allotments, by allotting Channel 226C3 at Enterprise, Utah, as the community's second local service and first competing FM local service. Channel 226C3 can be allotted to Enterprise consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) rules, with a site restriction of 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) north of the community at reference coordinates 37-45-04 NL and 113-46-26 WL.

This document proposes to amend the Table of TV Allotments (table) of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules by substituting channel 26 for channel 16 at West Point, Mississippi in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by WLOV License LLC, the licensee of full power television station WLOV-TV, channel 16, West Point, Mississippi. The staff engineering analysis finds that the proposal is in compliance with the Commission's principal community coverage and technical requirements. The substitution of channel 26 for channel 16 in the table will allow Petitioner to transition from STA to permanent, licensed operation.

This document proposes to amend the Table of TV Allotments (table) of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules by deleting channel 8 at Fort Bragg, California and reallotting channel 8 from Fort Bragg to Cloverdale, California in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by One Ministries, Inc., the licensee of KQSL(TV) (KQSL), channel 8, Fort Bragg, California. The staff engineering analysis finds that the proposal is in compliance with the Commission's principal community coverage and technical requirements. One Ministries, Inc. also requested modification of its license to specify Cloverdale as its community of license.

In this document, the Commission acts to eliminate certain outdated, obsolete, and unnecessary rules.

This document amends the Table of TV Allotments (table) of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules by substituting channel 9 for channel 24 at Henderson, Nevada in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (Gray), the licensee of KVVU-TV, Henderson, Nevada. The staff engineering analysis finds that the proposal is in compliance with the Commission's principal community coverage and technical requirements. The substitution of channel 9 for channel 24 in the table will allow the station to continue to operate on its licensed channel and provide uninterrupted service to its viewers.

This document amends the Table of FM Allotments, of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules, by substituting Channel 276C2 for vacant Channel 244C2 and Channel 252C3 for vacant Channel 276C3 at Matador, Texas. A staff engineering analysis determines that Channel 276C2 can be allotted to Matador, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules with a site restriction of 27 kilometers (16.8 miles) west of the community. The reference coordinates are 33-56-19 NL and 101-06-08 WL. The staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 252C3 can be allotted to Matador consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules, with a site restriction of 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) southeast of the community. The reference coordinates are 33-57-50 NL and 100-42-07 WL.

This document amends the Table of TV Allotments (table) of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules by substituting channel 12 for channel 21 at Portland, Oregon in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (Gray), the licensee of KPTV, Portland, Oregon. The staff engineering analysis finds that the proposal is in compliance with the Commission's principal community coverage and technical requirements. The substitution of channel 12 for channel 21 in the table will allow the station to continue to operate on its licensed channel and provide uninterrupted service to its viewers.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget has approved new information collection requirements under OMB Control Number 3060-1334, as adopted in the Federal Communications Commission's Second Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration, FCC 24-121 (Second Report and Order). This Second Report and Order established the specific processing, licensing, and service rules for the voluntary, limited use of FM booster stations to originate content on a permanent basis and initiated the accompanying use of FCC Form 2100, Schedule 336 to notify the Commission of such operations. This document is consistent with the Second Report and Order, which stated that the Commission will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date for these amended rule sections and revise the rules accordingly.

This document amends the Table of TV Allotments (table) of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules by substituting channel 23 for channel 2 at Las Vegas, Nevada in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by CHANNEL 33, INC. (Channel 33), the licensee of full power television station KHSV(TV), Las Vegas, Nevada. The staff engineering analysis finds that the proposal is in compliance with the Commission's principal community coverage and technical requirements. The substitution of channel 23 for channel 2 in the table will enhance service to viewers, especially in and around the station's community of license.

This document proposes to amend the Table of TV Allotments (table) of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules by substituting channel *24 for channel *4 at Jacksonville, Oregon in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by theDove Media, Inc., the permittee of a new noncommercial educational (NCE) television station to serve Jacksonville, Oregon, Facility ID No. 791569. The staff engineering analysis finds that the proposal is in compliance with the Commission's principal community coverage and technical requirements. The substitution of channel *24 for channel *4 in the table will allow Petitioner to construct its new facility on a UHF channel and avoid the known viewer reception issues on its currently authorized VHF channel.

This document amends the Table of FM Allotments, of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules, by removing certain vacant FM allotment channels that were auctioned through our FM competitive bidding process and are no longer considered vacant FM allotments. The FM allotments are currently authorized licensed stations. FM assignments for authorized stations and reserved facilities will be reflected solely in Media Bureau's Licensing Management System (LMS). These FM allotment channels have previously undergone notice and comment rule making. This action constitutes an editorial change in the Table of FM Allotments. Therefore, we find for good cause that further notice and comment are unnecessary.