[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 88 (Monday, May 10, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 24837-24838]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-09694]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 21-185; RM-11906; DA 21-475; FR ID 24742]


Television Broadcasting Services Butte, Montana

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed 
by Sinclair Media Licensee, LLC (Petitioner), the licensee of KTVM-TV 
(NBC), channel 6, Butte, Montana. The Petitioner requests the 
substitution of channel 20 for channel 6 at Butte, Montana in the DTV 
Table of Allotments.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or before June 9, 2021 and reply 
comments on or before June 24, 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

[[Page 24838]]

certain propagation characteristics which may cause reception issues 
for some viewers. Petitioner further states that KTVM-TV has received 
numerous complaints from viewers unable to receive that Station's over-
the-air signal, despite being able to receive signals from other 
stations, and that its channel substitution proposal will result in 
more effective building penetration for indoor antenna reception. In 
addition, the Petitioner states that while the proposed channel 20 
facility's noise limited contour does not completely encompass the 
relevant channel 6 noise limited contour, KTVM-TV is an NBC affiliate 
and there are two other NBC affiliated stations that serve some of the 
portions 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 the other NBC 
stations, all of the population located within KTVM-TV's original post-
transition channel 6 noise limited contour will continue to receive NBC 
service, except for 66 people. The Bureau used the technical parameters 
of KTVM-TV's original post-transition digital channel 6 facility (File 
Nos. BPCDT-20080314ADF and BLCDT-20090622ADT) 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. 21-185; RM-11906; DA 21-475, adopted April 
26, 2021, and released April 26, 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 in paragraph (i), amend the Post-Transition Table of 
DTV Allotments under Montana by revising the entry for Butte to read as 
follows:


Sec.  73.622  Digital television table of allotments.

* * * * *
    (i) * * *

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                 Community                           Channel No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                * * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 Montana
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                * * * * *
Butte.....................................  5, 19, 20, 24
 
                                * * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 2021-09694 Filed 5-7-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P