[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 76 (Thursday, April 22, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 21258-21259]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08290]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 21-152; RM-11899; DA 21-424; FR ID 21669]


Television Broadcasting Services; Freeport, Illinois

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed 
by Gray Television Licensee, LLC (Petitioner), requesting the allotment 
of channel 9 at

[[Page 21259]]

Freeport, Illinois. The current version of the DTV Table, which 
reflects the pre-incentive auction allotments, allocates DTV Channel 41 
to Freeport, Illinois, but the licensee submitted a winning bid to go 
off air in the broadcast television incentive auction and subsequently 
suspended operations. Thus, Petitioner is requesting the allotment of 
channel 9 at Freeport as that community's first local service in the 
DTV Table of Allotments, which will be amended later to reflect all the 
incentive auction channel assignments.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or before May 24, 2021 and reply 
comments on or before June 7, 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 the 
Petitioner as follows: Ari Meltzer, Esq., Wiley Rein LLP, 1776 K Street 
NW, Washington, DC 20006.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In support of its channel allotment request, 
the Petitioner states that Freeport is a community deserving of a new 
television broadcast service. Freeport (pop. 25,638/2010 Census) is the 
county seat and largest city in Stephenson County and has a Mayor; City 
Manager; a seven-member City Council; police, public works, and utility 
departments; and numerous businesses and places of worship and numerous 
businesses and places of worship. The Commission concludes the request 
to amend the Post-Transition Table of DTV Allotments warrants 
consideration. The Petitioner's proposal would result in a first local 
service to Freeport consistent with the Commission's television 
allotment policies. Channel 9 can be allotted to Freeport, Illinois, 
consistent with the minimum geographic spacing requirements for new DTV 
allotments in section 73.623(d) of the Commission's rules, at 
42[deg]16'50'' N and 88[deg]52'58'' W. In addition, the allotment point 
complies with section 73.625(a)(1) of the rules as the entire community 
of Freeport is encompassed by the 43 dB[mu] contour.
    This is a synopsis of the Commission's Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 21-152; RM-11899; DA 21-424, adopted April 
14, 2021, and released April 14, 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 Section 1.1204(a) of the 
Commission's rules, 47 CFR 1.1204(a).
    See Sections 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 continues to read as follows:

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


Sec.  73.622  [Amended]

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


Sec.  73.622  Digital television table of allotments.

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    (i) * * *

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                 Community                           Channel No.
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                                Illinois
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                                * * * * *
Freeport..................................  9, 41
 
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[FR Doc. 2021-08290 Filed 4-21-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P