[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 13 (Friday, January 19, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 1314-1315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-706]



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[[Page 1315]]


FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MM Docket No. 87-268, DA 96-8]


Advanced Television Services

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed Rule; extension of reply comment period.

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SUMMARY: This action, in response to a request indicating good cause to 
extend the reply comment period, made by Robert K. Graves of R.K. 
Graves Associates, on behalf of the HDTV Grand Alliance, extends the 
deadline for filing reply comments to the Fourth Further Notice of 
Proposed Rule Making and Third Notice of Inquiry in the above-cited 
docket. The intended effect of this action is to allow the parties to 
the proceeding to have additional time in which to file reply comments.

DATES: Reply comments are due on or before January 22, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, Washington, D.C. 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Saul Shapiro (202-418-2600) or Roger Holberg (202-418-2130), Mass Media 
Bureau.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Order Granting 
Extension of the Time for Filing Reply Comments in MM Docket No. 87-
268, DA 96-8, adopted January 11, 1996 and released January 11, 1996. 
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, DC 20037.

Synopsis of Order Granting Extension of Time for Filing Reply Comments

    1. On July 28, 1995, the Commission, as part of its ongoing 
Advanced Television rulemaking proceeding, adopted a Fourth Further 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Third Notice of Inquiry (``Fourth 
Further Notice''), 10 FCC Rcd 10540, 60 FR 42130 (August 15, 1995). 
Comments on the Fourth Further Notice were due October 18, 1995, and 
reply comments on December 4, 1995. These deadlines were subsequently 
extended to November 15, 1995 and January 12, 1996, respectively in 
Order Granting Extension of Time for Filing Comments and Reply 
Comments, DA 95-2137, 60 FR 53902 (October 18, 1995). By Public Notice, 
DA 96-2, released July 11, 1996, the Commission, by delegated 
authority, provided that documents due to be filed on January 11 or 12, 
1996 would be due instead on January 16, 1996.
    2. An extension of time to reply comments until January 26, 1996 
was requested by Robert K. Graves of R. K. Graves Associates, on behalf 
of the HDTV Grand Alliance (``Graves''), on the grounds that: (1) the 
volume of the comments covering a broad range of issues has made it 
difficult to prepare thoughtful and thorough responses within the 
current time frame; (2) the closure of the Commission as part of the 
partial federal government shutdown last November caused the comments 
to be filed on November 20 or later, at least five days after the 
scheduled due date; (3) the preoccupation of the Grand Alliance and 
other parties with preparations for the December 12 en banc hearing 
made it impossible to begin preparing reply comments until after the 
hearing and demonstrations; (4) a substantial body of additional 
testimony was filed in connection with the hearing, requiring further 
analysis; and (5) the blizzard of 1996 has made it very difficult for 
those involved in preparing the reply for the Grand Alliance to 
communicate and share information effectively during the last week. 
Graves also notes that it has been impossible to request and extension 
earlier because the Commission has been closed, first because of the 
partial Government shutdown due to lack of appropriations and then 
because of the bad weather.
    3. We find that good cause exists for granting a short extension of 
the reply comment deadlines in order to afford the parties an adequate 
opportunity for reasoned replies to the comments in this proceeding and 
are aware that the Fourth Further Notice raised many complex issues. 
Further, the blizzard of 1996, an extremely unusual event, has stalled 
mail deliveries, disrupted transit, and forced many workplaces to 
close, among other things, and has therefore undoubtedly complicated 
efforts to complete the reply comments, particularly for those parties 
whose comments required coordination among multiple entities or 
persons. However, we hesitate to extend the reply comment date until 
January 26, 1996, as requested because we do not want to unnecessarily 
delay the conclusion of this lengthy proceeding. Accordingly, we will 
grant a short extension of the reply comment deadline until January 22, 
1996.
    4. Accordingly, it is ordered, that the letter request, filed by 
Robert K. Graves on behalf of the HDTV Grand Alliance, seeking an 
extension of time in which to file reply comments in response to the 
Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Third Notice of 
Inquiry in MM Docket No. 87-268, is granted to the extent indicated 
herein and, in all other respects is denied.
    5. It is further ordered, that the time for filing reply comments 
in the above-captioned proceeding is extended to January 22, 1996.
    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 C.F.R. Secs. 0.204(b), 0.283 and 1.45.

Federal Communications Commission.
Roy J. Stewart,
Chief, Mass Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 96-706 Filed 1-18-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-M