[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 3 (Thursday, January 5, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 468-469]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33847]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 76

[MB Docket No. 11-131; DA 11-2025]


Revision of the Commission's Program Carriage Rules

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of reply comment period.

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SUMMARY: The Media Bureau extends the deadline for filing reply 
comments on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (``NPRM'') in this 
proceeding which was published in the Federal Register on September 29, 
2011. The extension will enable commenters to adequately review and 
respond to the comments filed in response to the NPRM.

DATES: The reply comment period for the proposed rule published 
September 29, 2011 (76 FR 60675) is extended. Submit reply comments on 
or before January 11, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit reply comments, identified by MB Docket No. 
11-131, by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     Federal Communications Commission's Electronic Comment 
Filing System (ECFS) Web site: http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, 
by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. 
Postal Service mail. All filings must be addressed to the Commission's 
Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
     People With Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: [email protected] or phone: (202) 418-
0530 or TTY: (202) 418-0432.
    For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional 
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of the NPRM.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: David Konczal, [email protected], 
of the Media Bureau, Policy Division, (202) 418-2120.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Order in MB Docket 
No. 11-131, DA 11-2025, adopted and released on December 15, 2011, 
which

[[Page 469]]

extends the reply comment deadline established in the NPRM published 
under FCC No. 11-119 at 76 FR 60675, September 29, 2011. The full text 
of this document is available for public inspection and copying during 
normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center, Portals II, 445 12th 
Street SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC 20554. The complete text may 
also be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, Best Copy and 
Printing, Inc., 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 
20554. The full text may also be downloaded at: http://www.fcc.gov. 
Alternative formats are available to persons with disabilities by 
sending an email to [email protected] or by calling the Consumer & 
Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 
(TTY).

Summary of the Order

    1. On August 1, 2011, the Commission released an NPRM on revisions 
to the program carriage rules. The NPRM set deadlines for filing 
comments and reply comments at 60 and 90 days, respectively, after 
publication of the NPRM in the Federal Register. A summary of the NPRM 
was published in the Federal Register on September 29, 2011 (76 FR 
60675). Accordingly, the filing dates were initially established as 
November 28, 2011 for comments and December 28, 2011 for reply 
comments.
    2. On December 13, 2011, the National Cable & Telecommunications 
Association (``NCTA''), Media Access Project, and Public Knowledge 
filed a joint request to extend the reply comment deadline by two 
weeks, until January 11, 2012. They claim that the comments filed in 
response to the NPRM reflect divergent views and opposing arguments on 
virtually every issue and note further that the current reply comment 
deadline falls in the middle of the holiday season. We grant the 
requested extension. As set forth in Section 1.46 of the Commission's 
Rules, 47 CFR 1.46, the Commission's policy is that extensions of time 
for filing comments in rulemaking proceedings shall not be routinely 
granted. In this case, however, an extension of the reply comment 
period is warranted to enable commenters to adequately review and 
respond to the comments filed in response to the NPRM.
    3. Accordingly, it is ordered that, pursuant to section 4(i) of the 
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), and 
Sec. Sec.  0.61, 0.283, and 1.46 of the Commission's rules, 47 CFR 
0.61, 0.283, and 1.46, the Motion for Extension of Time filed by NCTA, 
Media Access Project, and Public Knowledge is granted, and the deadline 
to file reply comments in this proceeding is extended to January 11, 
2012.

Federal Communications Commission.
Steven A. Broeckaert,
Senior Deputy Chief, Policy Division, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2011-33847 Filed 1-4-12; 8:45 am]
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