[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 197 (Thursday, October 10, 2002)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63092-63094]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-25764]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[MM Docket No. 02-272; FCC 02-246]


Voice in the Wilderness Broadcasting, Inc., and Clear Channel 
Broadcasting License, Inc.

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 KCOL-FM, Groves, Texas, from Voice in the 
Wilderness Broadcasting, Inc. (``Voice in the Wilderness'') to Clear 
Channel Broadcasting Licenses, Inc. (``Clear Channel''). 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. 
02-272, adopted on September 4, 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 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 August 14, 2001, Clear Channel and Voice in the Wilderness 
filed an application proposing to assign the license of station KCOL-FM 
(formerly KTFA(FM)) from Voice in the Wilderness to Clear Channel. The 
application was unopposed. Clear Channel currently is the licensee of 
four stations in the Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas Arbitron metro: 
KIOC(FM), Orange, Texas; KKMY(FM), Orange, Texas; KLVI(AM), Beaumont, 
Texas; and KYKR(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 Voice in the Wilderness's radio broadcast 
license to Clear Channel before the assignment may occur. Under the 
interim policy set forth in our Local

[[Page 63093]]

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 92.7%. We find that Clear Channel 
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 Clear Channel 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 KCOL-FM, Groves, Texas, from Voice in the Wilderness 
to Clear Channel is designated for hearing. Unless the parties timely 
file a 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-20010814AAU).
    7. Pursuant to 47 U.S.C. 309(e), the burden of proof with respect 
to both the introduction of evidence and the issue specified in this 
Order shall be upon Voice in the Wilderness and Clear Channel, 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 KCOL-FM, Groves, Texas, from Voice in the Wilderness 
to Clear Channel in accordance with the interim policy, Voice in the 
Wilderness and Clear Channel 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 
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, Voice in 
the Wilderness and Clear Channel, 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).

[[Page 63094]]

    14. The application to assign the licenses of station KCOL-FM, 
Groves, Texas, from Voice in the Wilderness to Clear Channel will be 
held in abeyance pending the outcome of this proceeding.

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene H. Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 02-25764 Filed 10-9-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P