[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 200 (Tuesday, October 16, 2001)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 52567]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-25997]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[FCC 01-286]


Noncommercial Educational Television

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission seeks comment on whether 
modification of the license of WQEX(TV), to specify operation on 
nonreserved Channel 16, will promote the public interest, convenience 
and necessity, and also, whether the channel, if dereserved, should be 
subject to competing applications.

DATES: Comments December 17, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce L. Bernstein (202) 418-1600, 
Video Services Division, Mass Media Bureau.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Commission's 
Notice of Proposed Rule Making (``NPRM'') entitled, Amendment of the 
Television Table of Allotments to Delete Noncommercial Reservation of 
Channel *16, 482-488 MHz, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, FCC No. 01-286, 
released October 11, 2001. The full text of this NPRM is available for 
inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC 
Reference Room, Room CY-A257, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Washington, DC, and also may be purchased from the Commission's copy 
contractor, Qualex International, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554.

Synopsis of NPRM

    On January 9, 2001 WQED Pittsburgh (QED), licensee of noncommercial 
educational television stations WQED(TV), Channel *13 and WQEX(TV), 
Channel *16, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, filed a ``Petition to Delete 
Noncommercial Reservation.'' In its petition, QED requests that the 
Commission amend Secs. 73.606 and 73.622 of the Commission's rules, see 
47 CFR 73.606 (NTSC channels) and 73.622 (DTV channels), to remove the 
noncommercial reservation of Channel *16 and permit QED to sell 
WQEX(TV) as a commercial television station without opening the channel 
to competing applications, and use the net proceeds to further 
WQED(TV)'s noncommercial broadcast operation. In the Memorandum Opinion 
and Order portion of the document, the Commission denies QED's request 
to dereserve Channel *16. However, in the NPRM section of the document, 
the Commission commences a rule making proceeding to determine whether 
modification of the license of WQEX(TV), to specify operation on 
nonreserved Channel 16, will promote the public interest, convenience 
and necessity, and also, whether the channel, if dereserved, should be 
subject to competing applications.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

    Education, Television.

Federal Communications Commission.
Magalie Roman Salas,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-25997 Filed 10-15-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P