[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 240 (Thursday, December 15, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 76582-76583]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-27039]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 22-116; RM-11922; DA 22-1233; FR ID 117287]


Television Broadcasting Services Missoula, Montana

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: On March 10, 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 (Petitioner), 
the licensee of KPAX-TV (Station), channel 7, Missoula, Montana, 
requesting the substitution of channel 25 for channel 7 at Missoula in 
the Table of Allotments. For the reasons set forth in the Report and 
Order referenced below, the Bureau amends Federal Communications 
Commission (FCC or Commission) regulations to substitute channel 25 for 
channel 7 at Missoula.

DATES: Effective December 15, 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 
16156 on March 22, 2022. The Petitioner filed comments in support of 
the petition reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel 25. No 
other comments were filed.
    The Report and Order substitutes channel 25 for channel 7 at 
Missoula, Montana. According to the Petitioner, it has received many 
complaints from viewers unable to receive a reliable signal on VHF 
channel 7, and the Commission has recognized that VHF channels have 
certain characteristics that pose challenges for their use in providing 
digital television service. The Engineering Statement provided with the 
Petition confirmed that the proposed channel 25 contour would continue 
to reach virtually all of the population

[[Page 76583]]

within the Station's current service area and fully cover the city of 
Missoula. An analysis using the Commission's TVStudy software tool 
indicates that KPAX-TV's move from channel 7 to channel 25 is predicted 
to create a small area where 444 persons are predicted to lose service. 
The loss area, however, is partially overlapped by the noise limited 
contour of Scripps' owned television station KXLF-TV, Butte, Montana, 
which is also a CBS affiliate, and reduces the number who are predicted 
to lose CBS service to only 121 persons, which is a level of service 
loss the Commission considers to be de minimis. Concurrence from the 
Canadian government was required and has been obtained. This is a 
synopsis of the Commission's Report and Order, MB Docket No. 22-116; 
RM-11922; DA 22-1233, adopted November 29, 2022, and released November 
29, 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 Montana, by 
revising the entry for Missoula 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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                                * * * * *
Missoula..............................................     * 11, 20, 23,
                                                                     25.
 
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[FR Doc. 2022-27039 Filed 12-14-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P