[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 94 (Friday, May 15, 2015)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 27862-27863]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-10226]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 74

[DA 15-486]


Suspension of September 1, 2015 Digital Transition Date for Low 
Power Television and TV Translator Stations

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule; suspension of regulations.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Media Bureau of the Federal 
Communications Commission (Commission) announced that, effective May 
15, 2015, the September 1, 2015 digital transition date for low power 
television (LPTV) and TV translator stations is hereby suspended. The 
Commission will decide on a new transition date in the rulemaking 
proceeding in MB Docket No. 03-185. Until a decision is reached in the 
rulemaking and the Commission can determine the effect of the future 
incentive auction and repacking, LPTV and TV translator stations may 
delay

[[Page 27863]]

completing construction of their digital facilities.

DATES: Effective May 15, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shaun Maher, Video Division, Media 
Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, [email protected], (202) 
418-2324.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Effective May 15, 2015, the September 1, 
2015 digital transition date for LPTV and TV translator stations is 
suspended pending final action in the rulemaking proceeding in MB 
Docket No. 03-185 (79 FR 70824 (Nov. 28, 2014)). The Commission will 
decide on a new transition date in the rulemaking proceeding in MB 
Docket No. 03-185. Until a decision is reached in the rulemaking and 
the Commission can determine the effect of the future incentive auction 
and repacking, LPTV and TV translator stations may delay completing 
construction of their digital facilities. Class A television stations 
are still subject to the September 1, 2015 transition date and analog 
Class A stations may no longer operate in analog mode after 11:59 p.m., 
local time, on September 1, 2015. Class A television stations that have 
not completed constructing their digital facilities by the transition 
date must go silent while they complete construction.
    Class A television stations are also reminded that the Commission 
has designated May 29, 2015, as the Pre-Auction Licensing Deadline by 
which Class A television stations' digital facilities must be licensed 
in order to be eligible for protection in the repacking process that 
will be part of the incentive auction. In order for a Class A 
television station's digital facility to be afforded protection in the 
repacking process, it must be licensed or have an application for a 
license to cover on file by the Pre-Auction Licensing Deadline. 
Although Class A television stations may wait until the September 1, 
2015, digital transition deadline to complete construction and license 
their digital facilities, those that do not have their digital 
facilities licensed by May 29, 2015, will be afforded protection based 
only on the coverage area and population served by their analog 
facilities.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 74

    Television.

Federal Communications Commission.
Barbara Kreisman,
Chief, Video Division, Media Bureau.

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission amends 47 CFR part 74 as follows:

PART 74--EXPERIMENTAL RADIO, AUXILIARY, SPECIAL BROADCAST AND OTHER 
PROGRAM DISTRIBUTIONAL SERVICES

0
1. The authority citation for part 74 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 302a, 303, 307, 309, 336 and 554.


0
2. In Sec.  74.731, revise paragraph (l) to read as follows:


Sec.  74.731  Purpose and permissible service.

* * * * *
    (l) After 11:59 p.m. local time on September 1, 2015, Class A 
television stations may no longer operate any facility in analog (NTSC) 
mode.

[FR Doc. 2015-10226 Filed 5-14-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P