[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 175 (Friday, September 9, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 55817-55819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-23010]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 1, 73 and 76

[DA 11-1432]


Broadcast Applications and Proceedings; Fairness Doctrine and 
Digital Broadcast Television Redistribution Control; Fairness Doctrine, 
Personal Attacks, Political Editorials and Complaints Regarding Cable 
Programming Service Rates

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission makes several nonsubstantive, 
editorial revisions to parts 1, 73 and 76 of the Commission's rules. 
The Commission removes rules that are without current legal effect and 
are obsolete. The deleted rules include

[[Page 55818]]

the fairness doctrine, broadcast flag rules and cable programming 
services complaint rules.

DATES: Effective September 9, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. For additional information, see the 
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section of this document.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on this 
proceeding, contact Katie Costello, [email protected] of the Media 
Bureau, Policy Division, (202) 418-2233.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Order, DA 11-1432, 
adopted on August 24, 2011, and released on August 24, 2011 under 
delegated authority, with erratum released August 25, 2011. The full 
text of this document is available for public inspection and copying 
during regular business hours in the FCC Reference Center, Federal 
Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., CY-A257, Washington, 
DC 20554. This document will also be available via ECFS (http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/). (Documents will be available electronically in 
ASCII, Word 97, and/or Adobe Acrobat.) The complete text may be 
purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, 445 12th Street, SW., 
Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554. To request this document in 
accessible formats (computer diskettes, large print, audio recording, 
and Braille), send an e-mail to [email protected] or call the Commission's 
Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), 
(202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Regulatory Information

    This final rule is being issued without prior notice and 
opportunity to comment pursuant to authority under the Administrative 
Procedures Act, 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B). The rule amendments adopted in 
this Order are nonsubstantive, editorial revisions of the Commission's 
rules pursuant to Sec.  0.231 (b) of the Commission's rules, and merely 
delete obsolete rule provisions. The Commission finds good cause to 
conclude that notice and comment procedures are unnecessary and would 
not serve any useful purpose.

Paperwork Reduction Act Analysis

    This document contains no new or modified information collection 
requirements. The rules contained herein have been analyzed with 
respect to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13, 44 
U.S.C. 3501, et seq., and found to contain no new or modified form, 
information collection, and/or recordkeeping, labeling, disclosure, or 
record retention requirements, and will not increase or decrease burden 
hours imposed on the public. In addition, therefore, this Order does 
not contain any new or modified ``information collection burden for 
small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees,'' pursuant to the 
Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, 44 
U.S.C. 3506(c)(4). The Commission will send a copy of the Order in a 
report to Congress and the Government Accountability Office pursuant to 
the Congressional Review Act.

Regulatory Flexibility Act

    Because this Order is being adopted without notice and comment, the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, et seq., does not apply.

Summary of the Order

    1. In this Order, we make several nonsubstantive, editorial 
revisions to parts 1, 73 and 76 of the Commission's rules. We make 
these revisions to delete certain rule provisions that are without 
current legal effect and obsolete.
    2. Specifically, this Order removes Broadcast Applications and 
Proceedings rules part 1, subpart D of the Commission's rules, 
Sec. Sec.  1.502 through 1.615 of the Commission's rules. This Order 
removes broadcast and cable rules, Sec. Sec.  73.1910 and 76.209 of the 
Commission's rules, which reference the Commission's so-called 
``Fairness Doctrine.'' This Order removes cable personal attack and 
political editorial rules, Sec. Sec.  76.1612 and 76.1613 of the 
Commission's rules.
    3. This Order removes the Commission's ``Broadcast Flag'' rules, 
part 73, subparts L and M, of the Commission's rules, Sec. Sec.  
73.8000 and 73.9000 through 73.9009 of the Commission's rules. This 
Order deletes the Commission's cable programming services (CPST) 
complaint process rules, Sec. Sec.  76.950, 76.951, 76.953, 76.954, 
76.955, 76.956, 76.957, 76.960, 76.961, 76.1402, 76.1605 and 76.1606 of 
the Commission's rules.

List of Subjects

47 CFR Part 1

    Administrative practice and procedure, Radio.

47 CFR Part 73

    Political candidates, Radio, Television.

47 CFR Part 76

    Administrative practice and procedure, Cable television, Political 
candidates.

Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas Horan
Chief of Staff, Media Bureau.
    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission amends 47 CFR parts 1, 73 and 76 as follows:

PART 1--PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE

0
1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  15 U.S.C. 79, et seq.; 47 U.S.C. 151, 154(i), 
154(j), 155, 157, 225, 227, 303(r), and 309.

Subpart D--[Removed and Reserved]

0
2. Remove and reserve Subpart D.

PART 73--RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES

0
3. The authority citation for part 73 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 334, 336 and 339.


Sec.  73.1910  [Removed]

0
4. Remove Sec.  73.1910.

Subparts L and M--[Removed]

0
5. Remove Subparts L and M.

PART 76--MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE

0
6. The authority citation for part 76 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  47 U.S.C. 151, 152, 153, 154, 301, 302, 302a, 303, 
303a, 307, 308, 309, 312, 315, 317, 325, 339, 340, 341, 503, 521, 
522, 531, 532, 534, 535, 536, 537, 543, 544, 544a, 545, 548, 549, 
552, 554, 556, 558, 560, 561, 571, 572 and 573.


Sec.  76.209  [Removed]

0
7. Remove Sec.  76.209.


Sec. Sec.  76.950 and 76.951  [Removed]

0
8. Remove Sec. Sec.  76.950 and 76.951.


Sec. Sec.  76.953 through 76.957  [Removed]

0
9. Remove Sec. Sec.  76.953 through 76.957.


Sec. Sec.  76.960 and 76.961  [Removed]

0
10. Remove Sec. Sec.  76.960 and 76.961.


Sec.  76.985  [Amended]

0
11. In Sec.  76.985, remove forms entitled ``INSTRUCTIONS FOR FCC 
329,'' ``FCC329''.


Sec.  76.1402  [Removed]

0
12. Remove Sec.  76.1402.

[[Page 55819]]

Sec. Sec.  76.1605 and 76.1606  [Removed]

0
13. Remove Sec. Sec.  76.1605 and 76.1606.


Sec. Sec.  76.1612 and 76.1613  [Removed]

0
14. Remove Sec. Sec.  76.1612 and 76.1613.

[FR Doc. 2011-23010 Filed 9-8-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P