[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 237 (Monday, December 10, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 73461-73462]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-29768]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[MB Docket Nos. 09-182 and 07-294; DA 12-1946]
Commission Seeks Comment on Broadcast Ownership Report
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice; solicitation of comments.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: This document solicits comment on data contained in the Media
Bureau's recently released report on the ownership of commercial
broadcast stations, which provides detailed information by race,
ethnicity, and gender concerning ownership of commercial television,
radio, Class A television, and low-power television stations.
DATES: Comments may be filed on or before December 26, 2012, and reply
comments may be filed on or before January 4, 2013.
ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20554.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hillary DeNigro, Industry Analysis
Division, Media Bureau, FCC, (202) 418-2330.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Commission's
Public Notice in MB Docket Nos. 09-182, 07-294, DA 12-1946, released
December 3, 2012. The complete text of the document is available for
inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC
Reference Center, 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20554, and may
also be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, BCPI, Inc.,
Portals II, 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20054. Customers may
contact BCPI, Inc. at their Web site http://www.bcpi.com or call 1-800-
378-3160.
Synopsis of the Public Notice
1. The Public Notice offers an opportunity for additional comment
on data contained in the Media Bureau's recently released report on the
ownership of commercial broadcast stations (``Ownership Report''). The
Ownership Report provides detailed information by race, ethnicity, and
gender concerning ownership of commercial television, radio, Class A
television, and low-power television stations.
2. As the Commission has long recognized, minorities and women own
broadcast stations in disproportionately small numbers. This fact has
been well established in our media ownership docket, including in the
2009 biennial ownership data detailed in the NPRM prior to the release
of the final Ownership Report. The recently released Ownership Report
confirms that minority and female ownership numbers remain low and
provides more detailed ownership figures. These data are part of the
record and have been considered in our current quadrennial review and,
along with additional data gathered in subsequent biennial filings,
will be considered in our succeeding quadrennial reviews.
3. The Ownership Report represents the latest step in the
Commission's ongoing efforts to collect and publicly release minority
and female ownership data. As explained in the NPRM, the Commission has
sought actively in recent years to improve its collection and analysis
of broadcast ownership information. These initiatives include
improvements to the reliability and utility of the data reported in FCC
Form 323. Although refinements to the
[[Page 73462]]
collection and assessment of these data are ongoing, the recently
released Ownership Report signifies a substantial improvement in
minority and female ownership data. We anticipate going forward that
these and additional ownership reports will provide useful periodic
``snapshots'' of minority and female ownership in the broadcast
industry. We expect that our continuing efforts to reform and refine
our ownership data collection will yield more and better data to
support trend analyses in the future.
4. The Ownership Report was released to the public on November 14,
2012 and parties have submitted material in the record concerning the
data. Several parties have requested an additional, formal opportunity
to comment on the Ownership Report. Thus, while this proceeding has
provided numerous opportunities for public input and participation, we
will establish a further comment cycle for this limited purpose.
Comments are due December 26, 2012; reply comments are due January 4,
2013.
Procedural Matters
5. Ex Parte Rules. This proceeding will be treated as ``permit but
disclose'' for purposes of the Commission's ex parte rules.\1\ As a
result of the permit-but-disclose status of this proceeding, ex parte
presentations will be governed by the procedures set forth in Section
1.1206 of the Commission's rules applicable to non-restricted
proceedings.\2\ Persons making ex parte presentations must file a copy
of any written presentation or a memorandum summarizing any oral
presentation within two business days after the presentation (unless a
different deadline applicable to the Sunshine period applies).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 47 CFR 1.1200, 1.1206.
\2\ 47 CFR 1.1206.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that
memoranda summarizing the presentation must (1) list all persons
attending or otherwise participating in the meeting at which the ex
parte presentation was made, and (2) summarize all data presented and
arguments made during the presentation. If the presentation consisted
in whole or in part of the presentation of data or arguments already
reflected in the presenter's written comments, memoranda or other
filings in the proceeding, the presenter may provide citations to such
data or arguments in his or her prior comments, memoranda, or other
filings (specifying the relevant page and/or paragraph numbers where
such data or arguments can be found) in lieu of summarizing them in the
memorandum. Documents shown or given to Commission staff during ex
parte meetings are deemed to be written ex parte presentations and must
be filed consistent with rule 1.1206(b). Written ex parte presentations
and memoranda summarizing oral ex parte presentations, and all
attachments thereto, must be filed through the electronic comment
filing system available for that proceeding, and must be filed in their
native format (e.g., .doc, .xml, .ppt, searchable .pdf). Participants
in this proceeding should familiarize themselves with the Commission's
ex parte rules.
7. Comment Information. Pursuant to sections 1.415 and 1.419 of the
Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.415, 1.419, interested parties may file
comments and reply comments on or before the dates indicated on the
first page of this document. Comments may be filed using the
Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). See Electronic
Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998).
[ssquf] Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically
using the Internet by accessing the ECFS: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/.
[ssquf] Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must file
an original and one copy of each filing. If more than one docket or
rulemaking number appears in the caption of this proceeding, filers
must submit two additional copies for each additional docket or
rulemaking number.
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.
[ssquf] All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for
the Commission's Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445
12th St. SW., Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. The filing hours are
8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. All hand deliveries must be held together with
rubber bands or fasteners. Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of
before entering the building.
[ssquf] Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9300 East Hampton
Drive, Capitol Heights, MD 20743.
[ssquf] U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail
must be addressed to 445 12th Street SW., Washington DC 20554.
People with Disabilities: To request materials in accessible
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic
files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-
418-0432 (tty).
Federal Communications Commission.
Robert Ratcliffe,
Deputy Bureau Chief, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2012-29768 Filed 12-7-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P