[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 69 (Monday, April 11, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 21029-21030]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-07637]


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

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 22-13; RM-11914; DA 22-360; FR ID 81398]


Television Broadcasting Services Albany, New York

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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

SUMMARY: On January 11, 2022, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) 
issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in response to a petition 
for rulemaking filed by WNYT-TV, LLC (Petitioner), the licensee of 
WNYT-TV (Station), channel 12, Albany, New York, requesting the 
substitution of channel 24 for channel 12 at Albany 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 24 for 
channel 12 at Albany.

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 
3489 on January 24, 2022. The Petitioner filed comments in support of 
the petition reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel 24. No 
other comments were filed. In support of its channel substitution 
request, the Petitioner states that the Station has a long history of 
significant reception problems given the local terrain, specifically 
the proximity of the Green, Berkshire, Catskill, and Adirondack 
mountain ranges and that these problems were exacerbated by the 
station's conversion from analog to digital operations on VHF channel 
12, when it received numerous complaints from viewers about the 
station's over-the-air signal. In response to these complaints, the 
Petitioner applied for and received modification authorizations to 
increase the Station's effective radiated power (ERP) from 9.1 kW to 30 
kW. According to the Petitioner, its proposal will result in a net gain 
in service to 289,588 persons within the Station's predicted noise 
limited service contour. While the proposal will result in a loss 
population of 210 persons within the predicted noise limited contour, 
the Petitioner demonstrated that the population within the loss area is 
currently served by at least five over-the-air television services. In 
addition, the Station is an NBC affiliate, and the Petitioner submitted 
an analysis, using the Commission's TVStudy software analysis program, 
demonstrating that after taking into account service provided by other 
NBC stations, all of the population located within the Station's 
original DTV channel 12 noise limited contour will continue to receive 
NBC service, except for 130 people, a number which the Commission 
considers de minimis. Moreover, the proposed channel 21 facility will 
result in 30,075 persons gaining access to NBC

[[Page 21030]]

network programing that did not have it before.
    This is a synopsis of the Commission's Report and Order, MB Docket 
No. 22-13; RM-11914; DA 22-360, 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.

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 New York, 
by revising the entry for Albany to read as follows:


Sec.  73.622   Digital television table of allotments.

* * * * *
    (j) * * *


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Community                           Channel No.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                                * * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                NEW YORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Albany.....................................................    8, 21, 24
 
                                * * * * *
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 2022-07637 Filed 4-8-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P