Federal Register: FCC (Broadcasting)

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a petition for rulemaking filed June 7, 2024, by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (Gray), the licensee of KFVS-TV, channel 11, Cape Girardeau, Missouri (Station or KFVS-TV). Gray held a construction permit to construct a facility on channel 32 at Cape Girardeau. Gray now requests that the Bureau substitute channel 11 for channel 32 at Cape Girardeau in the Table of TV Allotments, with the technical parameters as set forth in KFVS-TV's current license.

This document requests comments on a Petition for Rulemaking filed by SSR Communications, Inc., proposing to amend the Table of FM Allotments, by adding Channel 284A at Huntley, Montana, as the community's first local service. To accommodate the proposed allotment, we issue Order to Show Cause to BMG Billings, LLC, licensee of KYSX, Billings, Montana to show cause why the station license should not be modified to specify operation on Channel 286A in lieu of reserved Channel 283C1 at Billings, Montana. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 284A can be allotted to Huntley, Montana, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules, with a site restriction of 13.9 km (8.6 miles) north of the community. The reference coordinates are 46-01-30 NL and 108-18-00 WL.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopted an Order on Reconsideration that responds to a petition requesting reinstatement of the prohibition on the duplication of commercial FM programming beyond a 25% threshold.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on revisions to our rules relating to the Low Power Television service (LPTV Service). The LPTV Service includes low power television (LPTV) stations as well as television translator (TV translator) stations and Class A TV stations (Class A). The Commission created the LPTV Service in 1982 to bring local television service to viewers "otherwise unserved or underserved" by existing full power service providers. Today, these stations are an established component of the nation's television system, delivering free over-the- air TV service, including locally produced programming, to millions of viewers in rural and discrete urban communities. In light of changes to the LPTV Service over the last forty years, we invite comment on changes to our rules and policies to ensure that LPTV Service continues to flourish and serve the public interest.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a petition for rulemaking filed May 10, 2024, by King Broadcasting Company (Petitioner), the licensee of KTVB, channel 7, Boise, Idaho (Station or KTVB). The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel 23 for channel 7 at Boise, Idaho (Boise), in the Table of TV Allotments.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a petition for rulemaking filed June 7, 2024, by Gray Television Licensee, LLC, the licensee of WRDW-TV, channel 12, Augusta, Georgia. Gray also holds a construction permit to construct a facility on channel 27 at Augusta. Gray now requests that the Bureau substitute channel 12 for channel 27 at Augusta in the Table of TV Allotments, with the technical parameters as set forth in WRDW-TV's current license.

This document amends the Table of FM Allotments, of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules, by substituting Channel 245B1 for vacant Channel 245B at Mattoon, Illinois to resolve the distance spacing conflict with Station WHMS-FM and maintain a second local FM service. A staff engineering analysis determines that Channel 245B1 can be allotted to Mattoon, Illinois consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules with a site restriction of 12.2 kilometers (7.6 miles) southeast of the community at reference coordinates 39-23-17 NL and 88-17-21 WL. See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) has been filed in the Commission's proceeding by Robert McAllan, on behalf of Press Communications, LLC and Michelle Bradley, on behalf of REC Networks.

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 that implements the Low Power Protection Act. The Commission's Report and Order stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing the effective date of those rules. However, due to a drafting technicality, those requirements are already effective. This document announces that the requirements are operational.

This document requests comments on a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Hispanic Target Media Inc., proposing to amend the Table of FM Allotments, by substituting Channel 285C1 for vacant Channel 235C1 at Canadian, Texas to accommodate the hybrid modification application for Station KPQP that proposes the substitution of Channel 235C3 for Channel 291C3 at Panhandle, Texas. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 285C1 can be allotted to Canadian, Texas, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules, with a site restriction of 6.1 km (3.8 miles) north of the community. The reference coordinates are 35-57-35 NL and 100-24-24 WL.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopted a Fourth Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration that reinstitutes the collection of workforce composition data for television and radio broadcasters on FCC Form 395- B, as statutorily required.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in response to a Petition for Rulemaking filed by Sinclair Media Licensee, LLC (Petitioner or Sinclair), the licensee of KECI-TV (Station or KECI-TV), channel 13, Missoula, Montana (Missoula). The Station is currently operating on channel 13, and in 2021, the Bureau granted Sinclair's request to substitute UHF channel 20 for VHF channel 13 at Missoula in the Table of TV Allotments (Table). Sinclair currently holds a construction permit to modify its facility to operate on channel 20 and has petitioned for the substitution of channel 21 for channel 20 at Missoula in the Table. Sinclair filed comments in support of the petition, as required by the Commission's rules (rules), reaffirming its present intention to apply for a construction permit to build the Station's facilities on channel 21 and to promptly construct such facilities.

The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a petition for rulemaking filed January 19, 2024 and amended on January 30, 2024, by Multimedia Holdings Corporation (Petitioner). The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel 33 for channel 13 at Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville), in the Table of TV Allotments.

In a Report and Order, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) finds that allowing FM booster stations to originate content on a limited basis would serve the public interest. The Report and Order adopts rules to allow for the voluntary implementation of program originating FM booster stations, subject to future adoption of processing, licensing, and service rules proposed concurrently in a further notice of proposed rulemaking, published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register. The rule changes in this document are needed to expand the potential uses of FM booster stations, which currently may not originate programming. The intended effect is to allow radio broadcasters to provide more relevant localized programming and information to different zones within their service areas.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) seeks comment on revising Commission rules to establish processing, licensing, and service rules that will enable full power FM and low power FM (LPFM) broadcast stations to originate programming using FM booster stations. In a concurrently adopted Report and Order (R&O), published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, the Commission found that it would be in the public interest to provide broadcasters flexibility to use program originating boosters, subject to certain safeguards needed to address concerns raised in the record. This further notice of proposed rulemaking (FNPRM) seeks comment on the details of implementing these safeguards and on a number of proposed rule changes.

This document requests comments on the proposal to substitute Channel 245B1 for vacant Channel 245B at Mattoon, Illinois. The existing vacant Channel 245B at Mattoon is not in compliance with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 245B1 can be allotted to Mattoon, Illinois, consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules, with a site restriction of 12.2 kilometers (7.6 miles) southeast of the community. The reference coordinates are 39-23-17 NL and 88-17- 21 WL.

This document amends the Table of FM Allotments, of the Federal Communications Commission's (Commission) rules, by reinstating certain channels as a vacant FM allotment in various communities. The FM allotments were previously removed from the FM Table because a construction permit and/or license was granted. These FM allotments are now considered vacant because of the cancellation of the associated FM authorizations or the dismissal of long-form auction FM applications. A staff engineering analysis confirms that all of the vacant FM allotments complies with the Commission's regulations. The window period for filing applications for these vacant FM allotments will not be opened at this time. Instead, the issue of opening these allotments for filing will be addressed by the Commission in subsequent order.

The Federal Communications Commission published a document in the Federal Register of March 13, 2024, concerning a rulemaking filed by Carolina Christian Broadcasting, Inc., licensee of WGGS-TV, channel 2, Greenville, South Carolina, requesting substitution of channel 29 for channel 2 at Greenville in the Table of TV Allotments. The document contained an incorrect effective date.

On January 11, 2024, the Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in response to a petition for rulemaking VPM Media Corporation (Petitioner), requesting the allotment of reserved noncommercial educational (NCE) television channel * 12 to Waynesboro, Virginia (Waynesboro), in the Table of TV Allotments as the community's first local television service and its first NCE television service. For the reasons set forth in the Report and Order referenced below, the Bureau amends FCC regulations by allotting channel * 12 at Waynesboro.

On November 27, 2023, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by Carolina Christian Broadcasting, Inc. (Petitioner), the licensee of WGGS-TV (Station or WGGS), channel 2, Greenville, South Carolina (Greenville), requesting the substitution of channel 29 for channel 2 at Greenville in the Table of TV Allotments. For the reasons set forth in the Report and Order referenced below, the Bureau amends FCC regulations to substitute channel 29 for channel 2 at Greenville.