[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 83 (Monday, May 3, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 23340-23341]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09030]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 21-178; RM-11905; DA 21-460; FR ID 23108]


Television Broadcasting Services New Orleans, Louisiana

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Federal Communications Commission 
(Commission) has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by The 
Greater New Orleans Educational Television Foundation (Petitioner), the 
licensee of noncommercial educational PBS member station WYES-TV, 
channel *11, New Orleans, Louisiana. The Petitioner requests the 
substitution of channel *28 for channel *11 at New Orleans, Louisiana 
in the DTV Table of Allotments.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or before June 2, 2021 and reply 
comments on or before June 17, 2021.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by MB Docket No. 21-178, 
by any of the following methods:
     Federal Communications Commission's Website: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/. Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
     People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request 
reasonable accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language 
interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: [email protected] or phone: 202-418-
0530 or TTY: 202-418-0432.
    For detailed instructions for submitting comments and additional 
information on the rulemaking process, see the SUPPLEMENTARY 
INFORMATION section of this document.
    In addition to filing comments with the FCC, interested parties 
should serve counsel for the Petitioner as follows: Margaret L. Miller, 
Esq., Gray Miller Persh, LLP, 2233 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington DC 
20007.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Commission's 
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 21-178; RM-11905; DA 21-
460, adopted and released on April 21, 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).
    In support of its channel substitution request, the Petitioner 
states that WYES-TV is the only station licensed to New Orleans 
operating on a VHF channel, and moving to a UHF channel would improve 
viewers' access to WYES-TV's PBS and other public television 
programming by improving indoor reception and resolving VHF reception 
issues. Petitioner further states that the Commission has recognized 
that VHF channels have certain propagation characteristics which may 
cause reception issues for some viewers, including allowing undesired 
signals and noise at relatively further distances, and the tendency of 
nearby electrical devices to emit noise in the VHF band that can cause 
interference to stations on VHF channels. In addition, the Petitioner 
submitted an analysis, using the Commission's TVStudy software analysis 
program, demonstrating that it will continue to serve all of the 
population located within the licensed channel *11 contour.
    Pursuant to Sec. Sec.  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).
     Electronic Filers: Comments may be filed electronically 
using the internet by

[[Page 23341]]

accessing the ECFS: http://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs/.
     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 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.
     Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service 
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, 
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, 
and Priority mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street SW, Washington, 
DC 20554.
     Effective March 19, 2020, and until further notice, the 
Commission no longer accepts any hand or messenger delivered filings. 
This is a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety 
of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19. See FCC 
Announces Closure of FCC Headquarters Open Window and Change in Hand-
Delivery Policy, Public Notice, DA 20-304 (March 19, 2020). https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-closes-headquarters-open-window-and-changes-hand-delivery-policy.
    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 Rules

    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.

0
2. In Sec.  73.622 paragraph (i), amend the Post-Transition Table of 
DTV Allotments under Louisiana by revising the entry for New Orleans 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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                                Louisiana
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                                * * * * *
New Orleans............................  15, 21, 26, * 28, 29, * 31, 36,
                                          43, 50.
 
                                * * * * *
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[FR Doc. 2021-09030 Filed 4-30-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P