[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 32 (Tuesday, February 18, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 7203-7204]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3953]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 73 and 76

[MM Docket Nos. 94-150, 92-51, 87-154, 91-221, 87-8, 96-222 & 96-197; 
DA 97-210]


Broadcast Services; TV Ownership; Newspaper/Radio Cross Ownership

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of reply comment deadline.

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SUMMARY: The Commission granted a two-week extension of the deadline to 
file reply comments in the above-cited dockets in response to a request 
filed by the Media Access Project (MAP) on behalf of a number of other 
organizations. The deadline to file reply comments in these proceedings 
is now March 21, 1997. The Commission determined that a brief extension 
of the reply comment deadline was warranted to facilitate the 
development of a full record, but declined to grant a longer extension 
of the reply comment deadline or to extend the deadline for filing 
initial comments as requested by MAP. The intended effect of this 
action is to allow the parties additional time to review the initial 
comments filed in these proceedings and to prepare reply comments 
responding to the issues raised in the initial comments.

EFFECTIVE DATE: Reply comments are now due by March 21, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 2000 M Street, N.W., 
Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kim Matthews, Mania Baghdadi, Paul 
Gordon, Roger Holberg or Charles Logan (202) 418-2130, Mass Media 
Bureau.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Order granting an 
extension of time for filing reply comments in MM Docket Nos. 94-150, 
92-51, 87-154, 91-221, 87-8, 96-222 and 96-197; DA 97-210, adopted 
January 30, 1997, and released January 30, 1997. The complete text of 
this Order is available for inspection and copying during normal 
business hours in the FCC Reference Center (Room 239), 1919 M Street, 
N.W., Washington, D.C., and also may be purchased from the Commission's 
copy contractor, International Transcription Service, (202) 857-3800, 
2100 M Street, N.W., Suite 140, Washington, D.C. 20037.

Synopsis of Order Extending Time for Filing Reply Comments

    1. On November 5, 1996, the Commission adopted three related 
rulemaking items regarding national and local ownership of television 
stations and attribution of broadcast and cable/MDS ownership 
interests. Notice of Proposed Rule Making, 61 FR 66987 (December 19, 
1996) in MM Docket Nos. 96-222, 91-221, and 87-8, FCC 96-437 (released 
November 7, 1996) (national ownership proceeding); Second Further 
Notice of Proposed Rule Making, 61 FR 66978 (December 19, 1996) in MM 
Docket Nos. 91-221 and 87-8, FCC 96-438 (released November 7, 1996) 
(local ownership proceeding); Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making, 
61 FR 67275 (December 20, 1996) in MM Docket Nos. 94-150, 92-51, and 
87-154, FCC 96-436 (released November 7, 1996) (attribution 
proceeding). Comments in all three of these proceedings are currently 
due by February 7, 1997, and reply comments are currently due by March 
7, 1997. In addition, on September 17, 1996, the Commission adopted a 
Notice of Inquiry, 61 FR 53694 (October 15, 1996) regarding its policy 
for waiving its newspaper/radio cross ownership restriction. Notice of 
Inquiry in MM Docket 96-197, 11 FCC Rcd 13003 (1996). Comments in that 
proceeding were initially due to be filed by December 9, 1996, and 
reply comments by January 8, 1997. By Order released December 5, 1996, 
the Commission extended the comment and reply comment deadlines in that 
proceeding to coincide with the comment and reply comment deadlines in 
the national ownership, local ownership, and attribution proceedings. 
In so doing, the Commission reasoned that the issues raised in the 
newspaper/radio cross ownership proceeding were similar to those raised 
in the other three rulemaking proceedings, and that it was appropriate 
that the four proceedings share the same comment and reply

[[Page 7204]]

comment deadlines to facilitate the development of a more comprehensive 
record.
    2. On January 17, 1997, the Media Access Project (MAP), on behalf 
of a number of other organizations, filed a request for a thirty day 
extension of both the comment and reply comment deadlines in the 
national ownership, local ownership, and attribution proceedings. In 
the alternative, in the event the Commission declines to grant this 
request, MAP requests a forty-five day extension of the reply comment 
deadline in the three proceedings. In support of its request, MAP 
argues that each of the rulemaking proceedings involves matters of 
great importance, and that the short comment and reply comment periods 
create an onerous workload for parties interested in filing comments, 
especially counsel for members of the public which have limited staff 
and resources. Because the comment and reply comment deadlines in the 
three proceedings coincide, MAP argues that it will be difficult to 
thoroughly address the issues raised in each of the separate 
proceedings. MAP claims this difficulty is especially pronounced with 
respect to preparation of reply comments, as commenters will have only 
one month in which to read and respond to the initial comments filed in 
all three proceedings. Finally, MAP notes that there are a number of 
other unrelated proceedings currently before the Commission with 
similar comment deadlines in which MAP is participating, further 
straining its resources.
    3. As set forth in Section 1.46 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 
1.46, it is our policy that extensions of time for filing comments in 
rulemaking proceedings shall not be routinely granted. We gave 
interested parties three months in which to prepare and file initial 
comments in the three proceedings for which MAP requests extensions, 
and we continue to believe this amount of time is adequate to permit 
development of a comprehensive record. However, given the total number 
of comments we expect to receive in the three proceedings, the 
complexity of the issues involved, and the interrelated issues raised 
by the three proceedings, we believe it is appropriate to grant an 
additional 14 days in which to file reply comments. While this is not 
as long as MAP's alternative request to extend the reply comment 
deadline, we believe a 14-day extension is sufficient in that it will 
give parties a total of 45 days after the initial comments are filed in 
which to file reply comments. Although MAP did not request an extension 
of time with respect to the newspaper/radio cross ownership proceeding, 
we also, on our own motion, extend the reply comment deadline in that 
proceeding to maintain a concurrent schedule for all four proceedings.
    4. Accordingly, it is ordered that the Request for Extension of 
Time to Submit Comments and Reply Comments filed in MM Docket Nos. 94-
150, 92-51, 87-154, 91-221, 87-8, and 96-222 by MAP is granted to the 
extent detailed herein.
    5. It is further ordered that the time for filing reply comments in 
the above-captioned proceedings is extended to March 21, 1997.
    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. Secs. 154(i) and 303(r), and Sections 0.204(b), 0.283, and 1.45 
of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR Secs. 0.204(b), 0.283, and 1.45.

List of Subjects

47 CFR Part 73

    Television, Radio.

47 CFR Part 76

    Cable television.

Federal Communications Commission.
Roy J. Stewart,
Chief, Mass Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 97-3953 Filed 2-14-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P