[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 197 (Thursday, October 10, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63090-63092]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25763]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[MM Docket No. 02-236; FCC 02-236]


Hilco Communications, Inc. and Cumulus Licensing Corp.

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the FCC designates the application to assign 
the license of radio station KAYD(FM), Silsbee, Texas, from Hilco 
Communications, Inc. (``Hilco'') to Cumulus Licensing Corp. 
(``Cumulus''). The Commission cannot find, based on the record, that 
grant of this application is consistent with the public interest, 
convenience, and necessity. Accordingly, pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 309(e), 
the Commission designates the application for hearing to determine 
whether the public interest, convenience, and necessity will be served 
by grant of the application.

DATES: See SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for document filing dates.

ADDRESSES: Please file documents with the Investigations and Hearing 
Division, Enforcement Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, Room 
3-B431, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles W. Kelley, Chief, 
Investigations and Hearing Division, Enforcement Bureau, at (202) 418-
1420.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Federal 
Communications Commission's Hearing Designation Order, MM Docket No. 
02-236, adopted on August 15, 2002, and released on September 5, 2002. 
The full text is available for inspection and copying during normal 
business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center, Room CY-A257, 
445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554. The full text may also be 
purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, Qualex International, 
Room CY-B402, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC 20554, telephone 
(202) 863-2983, facsimile (202) 863-2898, or via e-mail at 
[email protected], or may be viewed via the internet at: http://
www.fcc.gov/Document-- Indexes/Media/2002--index--MB--Order.html. 
Alternative formats are available to persons with disabilities by 
contacting Martha Contee at (202) 418-0260 or TTY (202) 418-2555.

Synopsis of the Order

    1. In March 1996, the Commission relaxed the numerical station 
limits in its local radio ownership rules in accordance with Congress's 
directive in section 202(b) of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. 
Since then, the Commission has received applications proposing 
transactions that would comply with the new limits, but that 
nevertheless could produce concentration levels that raised significant 
concerns about the potential impact on the public interest. In response 
to these concerns, the Commission concluded that it has an independent 
obligation to consider whether a proposed pattern of radio ownership 
that complies with the local radio ownership limits would otherwise 
have an adverse competitive effect in a particular local radio market 
and thus would be inconsistent with the public interest. In August 
1998, the Commission also began flagging public notices of radio 
station transactions that would result in one entity controlling 50 
percent or more of the advertising revenues in the relevant Arbitron 
radio market or two entities controlling 70 percent or more of the 
advertising revenues in that market. On November 8, 2001, we adopted 
the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in MM Docket No. 01-317, 16 FCC Rcd 
19861, 66 FR 63986, December 11, 2001 (``Local Radio Ownership NPRM''). 
We expressed concern that our current policies on local radio ownership 
did not adequately reflect current industry conditions and had led to 
unfortunate delays in the processing of assignment and transfer 
applications. Accordingly, we adopted the Local Radio Ownership NPRM to 
undertake a comprehensive examination of our rules and policies 
concerning local radio ownership and to develop a new framework that 
will be more responsive to current marketplace realities while 
continuing to address our core public interest concerns of promoting 
diversity and competition. In the Local Radio Ownership NPRM, we also 
set forth an interim policy to guide our actions on radio assignment 
and transfer of control applications pending a decision in that 
proceeding. Under our interim policy, we presume that an application 
that falls below the 50/70 screen will not raise competition concerns 
unless a petition to deny

[[Page 63091]]

raising competition issues is filed. For applications identified by the 
50/70 screen, the interim policy directs the Commission's staff to 
conduct a public interest analysis, including an independent 
preliminary competition analysis, and sets forth generic areas of 
inquiry for this purpose. The interim policy also sets forth timetables 
for staff recommendations to the Commission for the disposition of 
cases that may raise competition concerns.
    2. On July 31, 2001, Hilco and Cumulus filed an application 
proposing to assign the license of station KAYD-FM (formerly KLOI(FM)) 
from Hilco to Cumulus. The application was unopposed. Cumulus currently 
is the licensee of four stations in the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas 
Arbitron metro: KIKR(AM), Beaumont, Texas, KQHN(AM), Nederland, Texas; 
KQXY-FM, Beaumont, Texas; and KTCX(FM), Beaumont, Texas.
    3. Section 310(d) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended 
(the ``Communications Act''), 47 U.S.C. 310(d), requires the Commission 
to find that the public interest, convenience and necessity would be 
served by the assignment of Hilco's radio broadcast license to Cumulus 
before the assignment may occur. Under the interim policy set forth in 
our Local Radio Ownership NPRM, we conduct a public interest analysis, 
including but not limited to an independent preliminary competition 
analysis of the proposed transaction based on publicly available 
information and information in the Commission's records. Under the 
interim policy, to decide whether a proposed assignment serves the 
public interest, we first determine whether it complies with the 
specific provisions of the Communications Act, other applicable 
statutes, and the Commission's rules, including our local radio 
ownership rules. If it does, we then consider any potential public 
interest harms of the proposed transaction as well as any potential 
public interest benefits to determine whether, on balance, the 
assignment serves the public interest. The Commission's analysis of 
public interest benefits and harms includes an analysis of the 
potential competitive effects of the transaction, as informed by 
traditional antitrust principles. However, the Commission's public 
interest evaluation is not limited to competition concerns but 
necessarily encompasses the broad aims of the Communications Act. These 
broad aims include, among other things, ensuring the existence of an 
efficient, nationwide radio communications service available to 
everyone and promoting locally oriented service and diversity in media 
voices. Our public interest analysis therefore includes assessing 
whether the transfer will affect the quality of radio services or 
responsiveness to the local needs of the community, and whether it will 
result in the provision of new or additional services to listeners. 
Thus, under our interim policy, where a proposed transaction raises 
concerns about economic concentration, we will consider evidence that 
the particular circumstances of a case may mitigate any adverse impact 
that might otherwise result, as well as any evidence of benefits to 
radio listeners that might result from the proposed transaction. 
Ultimately, it is the potential impact of the transaction on listeners 
that will determine whether we can find that, on balance, grant of a 
particular radio station assignment or transfer of control application 
serves the public interest.
    4. Having concluded that the proposed transaction is consistent 
with the numerical limits set forth in our ownership rules, we turn to 
our competition analysis. Here, we find that the proposed transaction 
would create a market in which the combined market share of the top two 
group owners in the market would be 94.5%. We find that Cumulus has 
failed to demonstrate particular circumstances in this market 
sufficient to overcome a concern that this level of economic 
concentration in this market will harm the public interest. To the 
extent Cumulus presents generic arguments challenging the parameters of 
our current competition analysis, we will address such concerns in the 
context of the Local Radio Ownership NPRM and need not consider them 
here. Rather, we look only to the record of this case to determine 
whether there are unique facts that persuade us that grant of this 
assignment application would serve the public interest despite the 
apparent economic concentration it will create. On the basis of the 
information before us, we are unable to make the required finding that 
the public interest, convenience and necessity will be served by 
granting the subject application. Accordingly, we will designate the 
assignment application for hearing to determine, pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 
309(e), and based on the evidence to be adduced at hearing, whether the 
public interest, convenience and necessity will be served by the grant 
of the application.
    5. We direct the Administrative Law Judge (``ALJ'') to examine in 
an evidentiary hearing the particular circumstances of the Beaumont-
Port Arthur, Texas metro to determine whether the factual assumptions 
in Section III.C. of the Hearing Designation Order are correct. We 
further direct the ALJ to determine, in light of his or her 
conclusions, whether the transaction is likely to cause any 
anticompetitive harms, and to determine what, if any, public benefits 
would accrue from this transaction. Finally, we direct the ALJ to apply 
these findings to determine whether, on balance, grant of the 
application would serve the public interest.
    6. Pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 309(e), the application to assign the 
license of station KAYD-FM, Silsbee, Texas, from Hilco to Cumulus is 
designated for hearing. Unless the parties timely file the joint 
election to defer as set forth below, the Hearing shall be at a time 
and place to be specified in a subsequent Order, to determine, in light 
of the evidence to be presented in the hearing, whether the public 
interest, convenience and necessity would be served by the grant of the 
above-captioned assignment application (File No. BALH-20010731ACB).
    7. Pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 309(e), the burden of proof with respect 
to the introduction of evidence and the burden of proof with respect to 
the issue specified in this Order shall be upon Hilco and Cumulus, the 
applicant parties in this proceeding.
    8. The Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, 
Reference Information Center, will send copies of this Order to all 
parties by Certified Mail--Return Receipt Requested.
    9. To defer further consideration of the application to assign the 
license of station KAYD-FM, Silsbee, Texas, from Hilco to Cumulus in 
accordance with the interim policy, Hilco and Cumulus must file a joint 
election to defer consideration of the application. Such election must 
be filed within 20 days of the mailing of this Order pursuant to 
Paragraph 8 above.
    10. A copy of each document filed in this proceeding subsequent to 
the date of adoption of this Order must be served on the counsel of 
record appearing on behalf of the Chief, Enforcement Bureau. Parties 
may inquire as to the identity of such counsel by calling the 
Investigations and Hearings Division of the Enforcement Bureau at (202) 
418-1420. Such service must be addressed to the named counsel of 
record, Investigations and Hearings Division, Enforcement Bureau, 
Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW, Room 3-B431, 
Washington, DC 20554.
    11. No less than 15 days of the mailing of the Order pursuant to 
Paragraph 8 above, the parties may amend their application or file such

[[Page 63092]]

other information with the Media Bureau as they deem relevant to 
ameliorate the competition concerns identified in this Order.
    12. To avail themselves of the opportunity to be heard, Hilco and 
Cumulus, pursuant to 47 CFR 1.221(c) and 1.221(e), in person or by 
their respective attorneys, must file, in triplicate, a written 
appearance stating an intention to appear on the date fixed for the 
hearing and present evidence on the issues specified in this Order. 
Such written appearance shall be filed within 20 days of the mailing of 
this Order pursuant to Paragraph 8 above. Pursuant to 47 CFR 1.221(c) 
of the Commission's rules, if the parties fail to file an appearance 
within the specified time period, the assignment application will be 
dismissed with prejudice for failure to prosecute.
    13. The applicants, pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 311(a)(2), and 47 CFR 
73.3594 must give notice of the hearing within the time and in the 
manner prescribed, and must advise the Commission of the publication of 
such notice as required by 47 CFR 73.3594(g).
    14. The application to assign the licenses of station KAYD-FM, 
Silsbee, Texas, from Hilco to Cumulus will be held in abeyance pending 
the outcome of this proceeding.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-25763 Filed 10-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P