[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 43 (Monday, March 8, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 13278]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-04719]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 21-49; RM-11874; DA 21-158; FR ID 17525]


Television Broadcasting Services Augusta, Georgia

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Video Division has before it a petition for rulemaking 
filed November 27, 2020 (Petition) by Gray Television Licensee, LLC 
(Petitioner), the licensee of WRDW-TV (CBS), channel 12 (WRDW-TV or 
Station), Augusta, Georgia. The Petitioner requests the substitution of 
channel 27 for channel 12 at Augusta, Georgia in the DTV Table of 
Allotments.
    In support of its channel substitution request, the Petitioner 
states that the Commission has recognized that VHF channels have 
certain propagation characteristics which may cause reception issues 
for some viewers, and also that the ``reception of VHF signals require 
larger antennas . . . relative to UHF channels.'' According to the 
Petitioner, ``many of its viewers experience significant difficulty 
receiving WRDW-TV's signal'' and its channel substitution proposal will 
allow WRDW ``to deliver a more reliable over-the-air signal to 
viewers.'' The Petitioner further states that operation on channel 27 
will not result in any predicted loss of service and would result in a 
substantial increase in signal receivability for WRDW viewers.
    We believe that the Petitioner's channel substitution proposal 
warrants consideration. Channel 27 can be substituted for channel 12 at 
Augusta, Georgia as proposed, in compliance with the principal 
community coverage requirements of section 73.625(a) of the 
Commission's rules at coordinates 33-24-37.0 N and 81-50-36.0 W. In 
addition, we find that this channel change meets the technical 
requirements set forth in sections 73.616 and 73.623 of the rules.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or before April 7, 2021 and reply 
comments on or before April 22, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, Office of the Secretary, 
45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. In addition to filing comments 
with the FCC, interested parties should serve counsel for petitioner as 
follows: Joan Stewart, Esq., Wiley Rein LLP, 1776 Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20006.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Andrew Manley, Media Bureau, at (202) 
418-0596 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c485aaa0b6a1b3ea89a5aaa8a1bd84a2a7a7eaa3abb2"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f2b39c96809785dcbf939c9e978bb2949191dc959d84">[email protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Commission's 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 21-49; RM-11874; DA 21-
158, adopted February 12, 2021, and released February 12, 2021. The 
full text of this document is available for download at https://www.fcc.gov/edocs. To request materials in accessible formats (braille, 
large print, computer diskettes, or audio recordings), please send an 
email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#23656060161317634540400d444c55"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="55131616606561153336367b323a23">[email protected]</span></a> or call the Consumer & Government Affairs 
Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (VOICE), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).
    This document does not contain information collection requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. In 
addition, therefore, it does not contain any proposed information 
collection burden ``for small business concerns with fewer than 25 
employees,'' pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 
2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4). Provisions of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, do not apply to 
this proceeding.
    Members of the public should note that all ex parte contacts are 
prohibited from the time a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is issued to 
the time the matter is no longer subject to Commission consideration or 
court review, see 47 CFR 1.1208. There are, however, exceptions to this 
prohibition, which can be found in Section 1.1204(a) of the 
Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.1204(a).
    See Sections 1.415 and 1.420 of the Commission's rules for 
information regarding the proper filing procedures for comments, 47 CFR 
1.415 and 1.420.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

    Television.

Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas Horan,
Chief of Staff, Media Bureau.

Proposed Rule

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR part 73 as follows:

PART 73--RADIO BROADCAST SERVICE

0
1. The authority citation for part 73 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 155, 301, 303, 307, 309, 310, 334, 
336, and 339.

0
2. In Sec.  73.622 in paragraph (i) amend the Post-Transition Table of 
DTV Allotments under Illinois by revising the entry for Superior and 
York to read as follows:


Sec.  73.622  Digital television table of allotments.

* * * * *
    (i) * * *

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                      Community                           Channel No.
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                                * * * * *
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                                 Georgia
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                                * * * * *
Augusta.............................................      27, 30, 31, 42
 
                                * * * * *
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[FR Doc. 2021-04719 Filed 3-5-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P


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