[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 69 (Monday, April 11, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 21030-21031]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-07636]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 22-39; RM-11917; DA 22-359; FR ID 81399]


Television Broadcasting Services Billings, Montana

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: On January 26, 2022, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) 
issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in response to a petition 
for rulemaking filed by Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC (Scripps or 
Petitioner), the licensee of KTVQ(TV) (KTVQ or Station), channel 10, 
Billings, Montana, requesting the substitution of channel 20 for 
channel 10 at Billings in the Table of Allotments. For the reasons set 
forth in the Report and Order referenced below, the Bureau amends the 
Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) regulations to 
substitute channel 20 for channel 10 at Billings.

DATES: Effective April 11, 2022.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed rule was published at 87 FR 
6473 on February 4, 2022. The Petitioner filed comments in support of 
the petition reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel 20. No 
other comments were filed. In support of its channel substitution 
request, the Petitioner states that the Commission has recognized that 
VHF channels have certain characteristics that pose challenges for 
their use in providing digital television service, including 
propagation characteristics that allow undesired signals and noise to 
be receivable at relatively far distances, and that the Station has 
received many complaints from viewers unable to receive a reliable 
signal on channel 10. An analysis using the Commission's TVStudy 
software tool indicates that KTVQ's move from channel 10 to channel 20 
is predicted to create a small area with 3,624 persons. That loss area, 
however, is partially overlapped by the noise limited contours of 
Scripps' owned TV translator stations K15LB-D, Red Lodge, Montana, and 
K28ON-D, Castle Rock, Montana, both of which carry the CBS network 
programming aired by KTVQ, and it appears that due to VHF reception 
issues and terrain, most of the viewers in the loss area already 
receive their CBS service from these translators. Accordingly, taking 
into account service from the Scripps' translators, only 483 persons 
would lose CBS service if KTVQ moves to channel 20, a number which the 
Commission considers de minimis. In addition, the loss area is also 
partially overlapped by the noise limited contours of KSVI (ABC) and 
KULR (NBC), Billings, Montana; KHMT (FOX), Hardin, Montana; and KSGW 
(ABC/FOX), Sheridan, Wyoming, so viewers in the loss area will continue 
to have access to major network programming.
    This is a synopsis of the Commission's Report and Order, MB Docket 
No. 22-39; RM-11917; DA 22-359, adopted April 4, 2022, and released 
April 4, 2022. The full text of this document is available for download 
at https://www.fcc.gov/edocs. To request materials in accessible 
formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic 
files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or call the 
Consumer & Governmental 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.
    The Commission will send a copy of the Report and Order in a report 
to be sent to Congress and the Government Accountability Office 
pursuant to the Congressional Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A).

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

    Television.


[[Page 21031]]


Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas Horan,
Chief of Staff, Media Bureau.

Final Rule

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission amends 47 CFR part 73 as follows:

PART 73--RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES

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(j), amend the Table of Allotments, under Montana, by 
revising the entry for Billings to read as follows:


Sec.  73.622   Digital television table of allotments.

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    (j) * * *

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                       Community                           Channel No.
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                                * * * * *
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                                 MONTANA
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Billings..............................................  11, * 16, 18, 20
 
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[FR Doc. 2022-07636 Filed 4-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P