[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 76 (Friday, April 19, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23563-23564]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-09274]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[GN Docket No. 13-86; DA 13-581]


FCC Reduces Backlog of Broadcast Indecency Complaints by 70% 
(More Than One Million Complaints); Seeks Comments on Adopting 
Egregious Cases Policy

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission 
Enforcement Bureau and Office of General Counsel seek comment on 
whether the full Commission should make changes to its current 
broadcast indecency policies or maintain them as they are. For example, 
should the Commission treat isolated expletives in a manner consistent 
with its decision in Pacifica Foundation, Inc. or instead maintain the 
approach to isolated expletives set forth in its decision in Complaints 
Against Various Broadcast Licensees Regarding Their Airing of the 
``Golden Globe Awards'' Program? As another example, should the 
Commission treat isolated (non-sexual) nudity the same as or 
differently than isolated expletives? Commenters are invited to address 
these issues as well as any other aspect of the Commission's 
substantive indecency policies.

DATES: Written comments may be filed on or before May 20, 2013. Reply 
comments may be filed on or before June 18, 2013.

ADDRESSES: Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 
445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 20554. See Supplementary 
Information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Eloise Gore, Associate Bureau Chief, 
Enforcement Bureau, at (202) 418-1066 or Jacob Lewis, Associate General 
Counsel, Office of the General Counsel, at (202) 418-1767. Please 
direct press inquiries to Mark Wigfield at (202) 418-0253.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Each document that is filed in this 
proceeding must display the docket number of this Notice, GN Docket No. 
13-86, on the front page. The Public Notice, DA 13-581, released April 
1, 2013, is available for inspection and

[[Page 23564]]

copying from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday or from 8 
a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on Friday at the FCC Reference Information 
Center, Portals II, Room CY-A257, 445 12th Street SW., Washington, DC 
20554. The complete text of the Public Notice may be purchased from the 
Commission's copy contractor, Best Copy and Printing, Inc. (BCPI), 
Portals II, 445 12th Street SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC 20554, 
telephone (800) 378-3160, facsimile (202) 488-5563, email 
[email protected], or you may contact BCPI via its Web site, http://www.bcpiweb.com. When ordering documents from BCPI, please provide the 
appropriate FCC document number DA 13-581. The Public Notice is also 
available on the Internet at the Commission's Web site through its 
Electronic Document Management System (EDOCS) at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/. Alternative formats are available to 
persons with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, 
audio format); to obtain, please send an email to [email protected] or 
call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 
(voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).
    For purposes of this proceeding, we are establishing a new docket, 
GN Docket No. 13-86. All comments should refer to GN Docket No. 13-86.
    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).
    This matter shall be treated as a ``permit-but-disclose'' 
proceeding in accordance with the Commission's ex parte rules.\1\ 
Persons making oral ex parte presentations are reminded that memoranda 
summarizing the presentations must contain summaries of the substance 
of the presentations and not merely a listing of the subjects 
discussed. More than a one- or two-sentence description of the views 
and arguments presented generally is required.\2\ Other rules 
pertaining to oral and written ex parte presentations in permit-but-
disclose proceedings are set forth in Section 1.1206(b) of the 
Commission's rules.\3\
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    \1\ See 47 CFR 1.1200, 1.1206.
    \2\ See 47 CFR 1.1206(b).
    \3\ Id.

Federal Communications Commission.
Eloise Gore,
Associate Chief, Enforcement Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2013-09274 Filed 4-18-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P