[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 56 (Thursday, March 25, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 15854-15855]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-05990]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 21-70; RM-11886; DA 21-267; FR ID 17577]


Television Broadcasting Albany, Georgia

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Video Division has before it a petition for rulemaking 
filed November 27, 2020 (Petition) by WFXL Licensee, LLC (Licensee), 
the licensee of WFXL (FOX), channel 12, Albany, Georgia (Station). The 
Licensee requests the substitution of channel 29 for channel 12 at 
Albany, Georgia in the digital television (DTV) Table of Allotments.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or before April 26, 2021 and reply 
comments on or before May 10, 2021.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, Office of the Secretary, 
45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. In addition to filing comments 
with the FCC, interested parties should serve counsel for petitioner as 
follows: Paul A. Cicelski, Esq., Lerman Senter PLLC, 2001 L Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20036.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce Bernstein, Media Bureau, at 
(202) 418-1647 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In support of its channel substitution 
request, the Licensee states that the Commission has recognized that 
VHF channels have certain propagation characteristics which may cause 
reception issues for some viewers, and that the reception of VHF 
signals require larger antennas relative to UHF channels. According to 
the Licensee, WFXL has received numerous complaints from viewers unable 
to receive its signal and the Licensee's channel substitution proposal 
will result in more effective building penetration for indoor antenna 
reception and greatly improve the Station's ability to provide ATSC 3.0 
service to homes, vehicles, and portable devices. The Licensee further 
states that it will continue to serve all of the population located 
within the licensed channel 12 contour and that three other FOX-
affiliated stations provide a signal to portions of the licensed 
channel 12 facility. We believe that the Licensee's channel 
substitution proposal warrants consideration. Channel 29 can be 
substituted for channel 12 at Albany, Georgia as proposed, in 
compliance

[[Page 15855]]

with the principal community coverage requirements of the Commission's 
rules at coordinates 31-19-53.0 N and 85-51-43.0 W. In addition, we 
find that this channel change meets the technical requirements set 
forth in our regulations.
    This is a synopsis of the Commission's Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 21-70; RM-11886; DA 21-267, adopted March 4, 
2021, and released March 4, 2021. The full text of this document is 
available for download at https://www.fcc.gov/edocs. To request 
materials in accessible formats (braille, large print, computer 
diskettes, or audio recordings), please send an email to [email protected] 
or call the Consumer & Government Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 
(VOICE), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).
    This document does not contain information collection requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. In 
addition, therefore, it does not contain any proposed 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, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4). Provisions of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, do not apply to 
this proceeding.
    Members of the public should note that all ex parte contacts are 
prohibited from the time a notice of proposed rulemaking is issued to 
the time the matter is no longer subject to Commission consideration or 
court review, see 47 CFR 1.1208. There are, however, exceptions to this 
prohibition, which can be found in Sec.  1.1204(a) of the Commission's 
rules, 47 CFR 1.1204(a). See Sec. Sec.  1.415 and 1.420 of the 
Commission's rules for information regarding the proper filing 
procedures for comments, 47 CFR 1.415 and 1.420.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

    Television.

Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas Horan,
Chief of Staff, Media Bureau.

Proposed Rule

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR part 73 as follows:

PART 73--RADIO BROADCAST SERVICE

0
1. The authority citation for part 73 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 155, 301, 303, 307, 309, 310, 334, 
336, and 339.

0
2. In Sec.  73.622, amend paragraph (i) by revising the Post-Transition 
Table of DTV Allotments under Georgia the entry for Albany to read as 
follows:


Sec.  73.622  Digital television table of allotments.

* * * * *
    (i) * * *

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                        Community                           Channel No.
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                                * * * * *
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                                 Georgia
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                                * * * * *
Albany..................................................          10, 29
 
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[FR Doc. 2021-05990 Filed 3-24-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P