[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 77 (Friday, April 23, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 21681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-08367]



[[Page 21681]]

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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 21-127; RM-11894; DA 21-398; FR ID 20570]


Television Broadcasting Services Schenectady, New York

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed 
by WRGB Licensee, LLC (Petitioner), the licensee of WRGB (CBS), channel 
6, Schenectady, New York. The Petitioner requests the substitution of 
channel 35 for channel 6 at Schenectady, New York in the DTV Table of 
Allotments.

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: 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 Joyce Bernstein, Media Bureau, at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In support of its channel substitution 
request, the Petitioner states that the Commission has recognized that 
VHF channels have certain propagation characteristics which may cause 
reception issues for some viewers, and also that the reception of VHF 
signals require larger antennas, that are generally not well suited to 
the mobile applications expected under flexible use, relative to UHF 
channels. According to the Petitioner, WRGB has received numerous 
complaints from viewers unable to receive an over-the-air signal, 
despite being able to receive signals from other stations. In addition, 
the Petitioner states that while the proposed channel 35 noise limited 
contour does not completely encompass the relevant channel 6 noise 
limited contour, WRGB is a CBS affiliate and there are three other CBS 
affiliated stations that serve some portion of the loss area. The 
Petitioner also submitted an analysis, using the Commission's TVStudy 
software analysis program, demonstrating that after taking into account 
service provided by other CBS stations, all of the population located 
within WRGB's original post-DTV transition channel 6 noise limited 
contour will continue to receive CBS service, except for 30 people. The 
Bureau used the technical parameters of WRGB's original post-transition 
digital channel 6 facility (File No. BPCDT-20080307AAK) in determining 
any predicted loss which may occur from the proposed channel 
substitution.
    This is a synopsis of the Commission's Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 21-127; RM-11894; DA 21-398, adopted April 5, 
2021, and released April 5, 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 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 in paragraph (i), amend the Post-Transition Table of 
DTV Allotments under New York by revising the entry for Schenectady to 
read as follows:


Sec.  73.622  Digital television table of allotments.

* * * * *
    (i) * * *

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                        Community                           Channel No.
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                                * * * * *
                                New York
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                                * * * * *
Schenectady.............................................     *34, 35, 43
 
                                * * * * *
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[FR Doc. 2021-08367 Filed 4-22-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P