[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 17, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 37240-37241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18077]


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[[Page 37241]]

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 1 and 73

[MM Docket No. 96-16, DA 96-1033]


Revision of Broadcast EEO Policies

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment and reply comment period.

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SUMMARY: In Streamlining Broadcast EEO Rules and Policies, DA 96-1033, 
released June 26, 1996, (Streamlining), the Commission grants a motion 
for extension of time concerning the Commission's Order and Notice of 
Proposed Rule Making, MM Docket No. 96-16, (NPRM). A group of 
organizations request the extension of time due to, among other things, 
staff shortages. The Commission finds that the public interest favors 
grant of the motion for extension of time for filing comments, as well 
as a corresponding extension of time for filing reply comments.

DATES: Initial comments due July 11, 1996; reply comments due August 
12, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 
Washington, D.C. 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hope G. Cooper, Mass Media Bureau, 
Enforcement Division. (202) 418-1450.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

    Adopted: June 26, 1996.
    Released: June 26, 1996.
    Comment Date: July 11, 1996.
    Reply Comment Date: August 12, 1996.

    1. On February 8, 1996, the Commission adopted an Order and Notice 
of Proposed Rule Making, 11 FCC Rcd 5154 (1996), 61 FR 9964 (March 12, 
1996) (NPRM), which vacated the Commission's EEO Forfeiture Policy 
Statement and requested comment on proposals for amending the 
Commission's EEO Rule and policies. Comment and Reply Comment dates 
were established for April 30, 1996, and May 30, 1996, respectively.
    2. On April 12, 1996, twenty organizations, including the Minority 
Media and Telecommunications Council (hereinafter ``Petitioners''), 
filed a Motion for Extension of Time to file comments in response to 
the above-captioned proceeding.1 On April 26, 1996, the Commission 
granted the Petitioners' request for extension of time.2 The date 
for filing comments was extended to July 1, 1996, and the date for 
filing reply comments was extended to July 31, 1996.
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    \1\ See National Council of Churches et al., Petition For 
Reconsideration and Clarification, MM Docket No. 96-16, filed April 
11, 1996, at 1.
    \2\ FCC 96-198 (released: April 26, 1996), 61 FR 25183 (May 20, 
1996).
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    3. On June 20, 1996, Petitioners filed a Motion for Further 
Extension of Time. Therein, Petitioners request that we extend further 
the date for submission of comments in response to the NPRM by ten 
days, until July 11, 1996. Petitioners do not seek an extension of the 
reply comment deadline. In support of their request, petitioners state 
that they are conducting ``very extensive research on broadcast 
stations' EEO practices, in order to provide the Commission and the 
other parties with a useful database for evaluation of the Commission's 
proposals.'' 3 They assert that due to, among other things, staff 
shortages, ``it is physically impossible to complete this task by July 
1.'' 4
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    \3\ Minority Media and Telecommunications Council et al., Motion 
For Further Extension of Time, MM Docket No. 96-16, filed June 20, 
1996, at 1.
    \4\ Id. at 2.
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    4. It is Commission policy that extensions of time not be routinely 
granted. See Section 1.46(a) of the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR Section 
1.46(a). We believe, however, that the public interest favors grant of 
the request for extension of time for filing comments in this 
proceeding. In addition, we believe that the public interest favors a 
corresponding extension of time for filing reply comments. Accordingly, 
we will extend the date for filing comments to July 11, 1996, and 
extend the date for filing reply comments to August 12, 1996.
    5. Accordingly, it is ordered that the Motion for Extension of Time 
filed by Petitioners is granted and that the Commission, on its own 
motion, also extends the time for filing reply comments.
    6. It is therefore ordered that the dates for filing comments and 
reply comments in this proceeding ARE EXTENDED to July 11, 1996, and 
August 12, 1996, respectively.
    7. 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. Sections 4(i) and 303(r), and Sections 0.204(b), 0.283 and 1.46 
of the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR Sections 0.204(b), 0.283 and 1.46.

Federal Communications Commission.
Roy J. Stewart,
Chief, Mass Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 96-18077 Filed 7-16-96; 8:45 am]
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