[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 115 (Thursday, June 17, 2021)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32262-32263]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-12964]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 21-684; FR ID 33087]


Media Bureau Reminds Remaining Analog Low Power Television and 
Television Translator Stations Without Digital Construction Permits To 
File Immediately

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Media Bureau (Bureau) of the Federal 
Communications Commission (Commission) reminds those remaining analog 
Low Power Television and TV Translator stations (LPTV/translator 
stations) that have not filed for a digital construction permit to 
construct a digital facility to do so immediately. Those analog LPTV/
translator stations that fail to take immediate action will risk having 
their license automatically cancelled, by operation of law, after the 
analog termination date.

DATES: July 13, 2021 is the analog termination date and digital 
transition deadline.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Colombo (technical questions), 
[email protected], (202) 418-7611, or Shaun Maher (legal questions), 
[email protected], (202) 418-2324, of the Video Division, Media 
Bureau.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Commission's 
document (Public Notice), DA 21-684, released on June 11, 2021. The 
full text of this document is available for downloading on the FCC 
website at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-21-684A1.pdf. 
Remaining Analog LPTV/Translator Stations Without Digital Construction 
Permits. The Bureau has posted a list of the remaining analog LPTV/
translator stations that have not obtained a digital construction 
permit to transition to digital operations on its web page: https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/analog_stations_without_a_digital_permit.xlsx. The Bureau remind these 
stations that, after 11:59 p.m. local time on July 13, 2021, they may 
no longer operate any facility in analog mode and all analog licenses 
shall automatically cancel at that time without any affirmative action 
by the Commission. Analog LPTV/translator stations without a valid 
digital construction permit as of 11:59 p.m. local time on July 13, 
2021, will find that their analog license has been automatically 
cancelled and will have their call signs deleted.
    To avoid automatic cancellation of their station license, remaining 
analog LPTV/translator stations that do not have a digital construction 
permit should immediately file an application for one to ensure that 
they will be considered before the July 13, 2021, analog termination 
deadline. The Bureau recommends filing an application for on-channel 
digital conversion (``flash-cut'') wherever possible in order to 
expedite processing. Instructions for filing an application for digital 
construction permit are included in the Appendix to the Public Notice.
    Late-Filed Construction Permit Extension Applications. All analog 
LPTV/translator stations receiving a digital construction permit, 
regardless of the date it is granted, are assigned a construction 
permit expiration date of July 13, 2021. Any analog LPTV/translator 
station that finds that it will need additional time to complete its 
digital construction may submit an application for extension of its 
digital construction permit. Because the March 15, 2021 deadline for 
filing an extension of digital construction permit (CP extension filing 
deadline) has already passed, stations will need to include a request 
for waiver of the CP extension filing deadline along with its request 
for extension. The Bureau encourage such stations to submit their 
extension applications and filing deadline waivers as soon as possible 
to ensure that they will be considered before the July 13, 2021 
expiration of their digital construction permit. The grant of an 
extension of time to complete construction of a station's digital 
facility will in no way extend the July 13, 2021, analog service 
termination date. Instructions for filing an extension application are 
included in the Appendix to the Public Notice.
    Requests for Silent Authority. The Bureau reminds licensees that a 
station may suspend operations for a period of not more than 30 days 
absent specific authority from the Commission. Stations that remain 
silent for more than 10 days must notify the Commission not later than 
the tenth day of their suspended operations by filing a Suspension of 
Operations Notification via LMS as outlined in Appendix B to the Public 
Notice. Stations that need to remain silent for more than 30 days must 
file a Silent STA via LMS as outlined in the Appendix to the Public 
Notice.
    The Bureau also reminds stations that the license of any station 
that remains silent for any consecutive 12-month period expires 
automatically at the end of that period, by operation of law, except 
that the Commission may extend or reinstate such station license if the 
holder of the license prevails in an administrative or judicial appeal, 
the applicable law changes, or for any other reason to promote equity 
and fairness. Stations that need to extend and/or reinstate their 
license should do so as part of a Silent STA or if the station is 
operational by filing a Legal STA. Either may be filed via LMS as 
outlined in the Appendix to the Public Notice.
    Surrender/Cancellation of Analog Licenses. Stations that choose not 
to convert to digital and instead intend to permanently discontinue 
operations must do so no later than 11:59 p.m. local time on July 13, 
2021. If a station is currently silent and does not intend to 
recommence analog operation prior to July 13, 2021, or plans to 
permanently discontinue operation prior to July 13, 2021, the Bureau 
encourages such

[[Page 32263]]

stations to submit their station licenses for cancellation. 
Instructions for requesting cancellation of a station license are 
included in the Appendix to the Public Notice. For all other analog 
LPTV/translator stations that choose not to convert to digital but 
continue to operate in analog until 11:59 p.m. local time on July 13, 
2021, their licenses will automatically cancel, by operation of law, 
and call signs will be deleted.

Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas Horan
Chief of Staff, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2021-12964 Filed 6-16-21; 8:45 am]
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