Federal Register: FCC (Broadcasting)

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) retains the broadcast ownership rules with minor modifications in compliance with the Telecommunications Act of 1996 which requires the Commission to review its broadcast ownership rules quadrennially to determine whether they are necessary in the public interest as a result of competition. Specifically, the Commission retains the Dual Network Rule, modifies the Local Radio Ownership Rule to make permanent the interim contour-overlap methodology long used to determine ownership limits in areas outside the boundaries of defined Nielsen Audio Metro markets and in Puerto Rico, and modifies the Local Television Ownership Rule to reflect changes that have occurred in the television marketplace and current industry practices.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) issues a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to prioritize processing review of certain applications filed by commercial and noncommercial radio and television broadcast stations that provide locally originated programming. The Commission's goal is to provide additional incentive to stations to provide programming that responds to the needs and interests of the communities they are licensed to serve. In 2017, the Commission eliminated the rule that required broadcast stations to maintain a main studio located in or near their community of license, as well as the associated requirement that the main studio have program origination capability. We propose this processing priority in order to further encourage radio and TV stations to serve their community of license with local journalism or other locally originated programming. Such prioritization would be granted to renewal applicants, as well as applicants for assignment or transfer of license, that certify they provide locally originated programming, thereby advancing our efforts to promote localism and serve local communities across the nation.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) adopts several rule updates for full power and Class A television stations that no longer have any practical effect given the completion of the transition from analog to digital-only operations and the post incentive auction transition to a smaller television band with fewer channels. The Commission also adopts a restructuring of its full power television rules, which largely consist of the technical licensing, operating, and interference rules for full power television.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a notice of proposed rulemaking issued in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by TV 49, Inc. (TV-49 or Petitioner), the permittee of an unbuilt television station on channel 31 allotted to Wittenberg, Wisconsin. The Petitioner has requested that the Commission delete channel 31 from Wittenberg and allot it to Shawano, Wisconsin in the Table of TV Allotments and modify its construction permit to specify Shawano as its community of license. TV-49 filed comments in support of the petition, as required by the rules, reaffirming its commitment to file for channel 31 at Shawano.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a petition for rulemaking filed January 9, 2024, by VPM Media Corporation (Petitioner). The Petitioner requests the allotment of reserved noncommercial educational (NCE) television channel *12 to Waynesboro, Virginia (Waynesboro), as the community's first local television service and its first NCE television service.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopts rules to implement the Low Power Protection Act (LPPA or Act), which was enacted on January 5, 2023. The LPPA provides certain low power television (LPTV) stations with a limited window of opportunity to apply for primary spectrum use status as Class A television stations. With limited exceptions, the rules adopted herein are consistent with the Commission's proposals in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in this proceeding. In this Order, we further the implementation of the LPPA by establishing the period during which eligible stations may file applications for Class A status, eligibility and interference requirements, and the process for submitting applications.

This document amends the Table of FM Allotments, of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules, by allotting FM Channel 225A at Lac Du Flambeau, Wisconsin, as a Tribal Allotment. The staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 225A can be allotted to Lac Du Flambeau, Wisconsin, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules, with a site restriction of 12.1 km (7.5 miles) northwest of the community. The reference coordinates are 46-01-14 NL and 89-44-54 WL.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the information collection requirements associated with the Commission's rules in a Report and Order which adopts rules to clarify for all stakeholders the status of LPTV FM6 service and codify that these services may be provided by a group of 14 existing FM6 stations, and only by those stations. This document is consistent with the Commission's Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by the Dove Media, Inc. (Petitioner). The Petitioner requests the allotment of reserved noncommercial educational (NCE) channel *4 to Jacksonville, Oregon (Jacksonville), in the Table of TV Allotments as the community's first local television service and its first NCE television service. The Petitioner filed comments in support of the petition, as required by the Commission's rules (rules), reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel *4 and if authorized, to construct the facility.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a petition for rulemaking filed September 27, 2023, by Carolina Christian Broadcasting, Inc. (Petitioner), the licensee of WGGS-TV, channel 2, Greenville, South Carolina (Station or WGGS). The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel 29 for channel 2 at Greenville, South Carolina (Greenville) in the Table of TV Allotments.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (Petitioner or Gray), the licensee of unbuilt television station KWNV(DT) (KWNV or Station), channel 7, Winnemucca, Nevada (Winnemucca). The Petitioner has requested the substitution of UHF channel 16 for VHF channel 7 in the Table of TV Allotments. The Petitioner filed comments in support of the petition, as required by the Commission's rules (rules), reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel 16.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by NPG of Idaho, Inc. (Petitioner), the licensee of station KIFI-TV (KIFI or Station), channel 8, Idaho Falls, Idaho (Idaho Falls). The Petitioner has requested the substitution of UHF channel 18 for VHF channel 8 in the Table of TV Allotments. The Petitioner filed comments in support of the petition, as required by the Commission's rules (rules), reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel 18.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a petition for rulemaking filed August 16, 2023, by Sinclair Media Licensee, LLC (Petitioner or Sinclair), the licensee of KECI-TV, channel 13, Missoula, Montana (Station or KECI-TV). As discussed below, the Station is currently operating on channel 13 and Sinclair successfully petitioned to have its channel changed from channel 13 to channel 20. The Petitioner now requests the substitution of channel 21 for channel 20 at Missoula, Montana (Missoula) in the Table of TV Allotments.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, the information collection requirements associated with the Commission's rules in a Report and Order on authorizing permissive use of the "Next Generation" Broadcast Television Standard. This document is consistent with the Commission's Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau) has before it a notice of proposed rulemaking issued in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by Iowa Public Broadcasting Board (Petitioner), the licensee of noncommercial educational television PBS member station KDIN-TV (KDIN-TV or Station), channel *11, Des Moines, Iowa. The Petitioner has requested the substitution of channel *34 in place of channel *11 at Des Moines in the Table of TV Allotments, and requested that we delete vacant channel *34, Ames, Iowa (Ames) and substitute it with the allotment of vacant channel *21 to Ames. Petitioner filed comments in support of the petition, as required by the Commission's rules (rules), reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel *34.

This document corrects the preamble to a proposed rule published in the Federal Register of September 29, 2023, concerning implementation of certain allocation decisions from the Final Acts of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2015. The document provided an incorrect comment date and reply comment date.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau) has before it a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by One Ministries, Inc. (Petitioner). The Petitioner requests the allotment of reserved noncommercial educational (NCE) channel *3 to Tulare, California (Tulare), in the Table of TV Allotments as the community's first local television service. The Petitioner filed comments in support of the petition, as required by the Commission's rules, reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel *3, and if authorized, to construct the facility.

This document amends the FM Table of Allotments, of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules, by allotting Channel 277C2 at Wharton, Texas, as a second local service. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 277C2 can be allotted to Wharton, Texas, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules, with a site restriction of 2.1 km (1.3 miles) west of the community. The reference coordinates are 29- 18-26 NL and 96-07-50 WL.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau) has before it a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Vision Broadcasting Network, Inc. (Petitioner). The Petitioner requests the allotment of reserved noncommercial educational (NCE) channel *4 to Alamogordo, New Mexico (Alamogordo), in the Table of TV Allotments as the community's first local television service. The Petitioner filed comments in support of the petition, as required by the Commission's rules (rules), reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel *4 and if authorized, to construct the facility.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau) has before it a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by One Ministries, Inc. (Petitioner). The Petitioner requests the allotment of reserved noncommercial educational (NCE) channel *2 to Colusa, California (Colusa), in the Table of TV Allotments as the community's first local television service. The Petitioner filed comments in support of the petition, as required by the Commission's rules, reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel *2, and if authorized, to construct the facility.