**Before the**

**Federal Communications Commission**

**Washington, D.C. 20554**

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| In the matter of                 | *  | MB Docket No. 03-15          |
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**ORDER GRANTING FURTHER EXTENSION OF TIME TO FILE**

**FIRST ROUND DTV CHANNEL ELECTION FORMS**

**Adopted: January 24, 2005 Released: January 24, 2005**

By the Chief, Media Bureau:

1.  On August 4, 2004, the Commission adopted a *Report and Order*[^1]
    in the above-captioned proceeding that, among other things,
    established a channel election process through which television
    broadcast licensees and permittees will select their ultimate
    digital channel inside the core television spectrum (*i.e*.,
    channels 2-51). The channel election process commenced in October
    2004 with the filing of FCC Form 381, the Pre-Election Certification
    form. The channel election process will continue with three rounds
    of channel elections, the first round of which was scheduled to take
    place in December 2004 with the filing of FCC Form 382.[^2] The
    *Report and Order* did not specify a precise date in December for
    the filing of FCC Form 382. On December 17, 2004, the Media Bureau
    extended the period for filing the first round channel election
    forms to January 27, 2005.[^3]

2.  On January 14, 2005, we received a request from the Association of
    Federal Communications Consulting Engineers ("AFCCE") for a further
    45 day extension of the January 27, 2005 deadline for filing FCC
    Form 382.[^4] AFCCE argues that a further extension is necessary to
    give consulting engineering firms more time to respond to the large
    volume of data and requests from clients in connection with the
    channel election process and to understand the policies and
    procedures the FCC will use in performing its interference conflict
    analysis. AFCCE also argues that a further extension of the filing
    deadline will give stations more time to negotiate and finalize
    negotiated channel arrangements which, if approved, will streamline
    the channel election process by reducing the overall number of
    interference conflicts requiring resolution.

3.  In view of our interest in a smooth and accurate channel election
    process, we hereby grant AFCCE's request in part and will extend the
    period for filing the first round channel election forms (FCC
    Form 382) until February 10, 2005. Thus, FCC Form 382, which is now
    available for filing on the FCC's website,[^5] may be filed any time
    through February 10, 2005. This brief further delay in the filing
    deadline will assist stations that require additional time to make
    first round channel election decisions and could result in better
    informed decisions and reduced potential for interference conflicts.
    We note that most television stations will be filing an election in
    the first round of the channel election process.

4.  Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the Request for Extension of the
    January 27, 2005 Deadline for Filing FCC Form 382, filed in MB
    Docket 03-15 by AFCCE, is GRANTED to the extent described herein.

5.  IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the period for filing FCC Form 382 in the
    above-captioned proceeding IS EXTENDED through February 10, 2005.

6.  This action is taken pursuant to authority found in Sections 4(i)
    and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C.
    §§ 154(i) and 303(r), and Sections 0.204(b), 0.283, and 1.45 of the
    Commission's rules, 47 C.F.R. §§ 0.204(b), 0.283, and 1.45.

    FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

    W. Kenneth Ferree

    Chief, Media Bureau

# 

[^1]: *Report and Order*, 19 FCC Rcd 18,279 (2004).

[^2]: *Id.* at 18,297, ¶ 43.

[^3]: *See Order Granting Extension of Time to File First Round DTV
    Channel Election Forms*, MB Docket No. 03-15, DA 04-3923, released
    December 21, 2004. The Media Bureau granted the extension in
    response to a request filed by the Association for Maximum Service
    Television, Inc. ("MSTV").

[^4]: *See* Request for Extension of the January 27, 2005 Deadline for
    Filing FCC Form 382, filed January 14, 2005.

[^5]: *See* http://www.fcc.gov.