Opinion ID: 397839
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Major Amendment

Text: 20 We are of a different opinion with regard to the timeliness of WATCH's petition at a later stage of the proceedings. On August 2, 1979, with the FCC's permission, Taft submitted an amendment to its original application. This amendment augmented Taft's proposed programming changes for Channel 20. It was designed to improve the applicant's public interest showing as a justification for a waiver of the Top 50 Policy. Because the only different information before the Commission at its August 16 meeting was this amendment, WATCH contends 17 that the amendment swung the vote from a 3-3 tie to 4-3 in favor of Taft. Consequently, WATCH argues, it was by definition a major amendment triggering a new thirty-day filing period for petitions to deny. See 47 U.S.C. § 309(b), (c) (1976). 21 We agree. The statute gives the Commission the authority to adopt reasonable classifications of applications and amendments, 47 U.S.C. § 309(g) (1976). The regulations in which it has done so classify changes in programming plans as major amendments with regard to applications for license renewals, see 47 C.F.R. § 73.3578(a) (1980), but not with regard to applications for transfer of control, see id. § 73.3578(b). We hold that whatever the merits of this distinction in the typical case, it was not reasonable in this case to style Taft's amendment as minor. Its obvious decisional significance renders such a possibility inconceivable. 18 If we saw any real sense in doing so, therefore, we would remand Taft's application to the Commission and order it to grant WATCH full party status. The mootness of the Top 50 Policy issue, however, together with our finding that no other issues would require a hearing, 19 indicates that a remand would afford WATCH no meaningful relief. 20