[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 57 (Friday, March 24, 2023)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 17741-17742]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-06095]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 23-14; RM-11943; DA 23-221; FR ID 132667]


Television Broadcasting Services Roanoke, Virginia

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: On January 11, 2023, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau)

[[Page 17742]]

issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in response to a petition 
for rulemaking filed by Blue Ridge Public Television, Inc. (Petitioner 
or Blue Ridge PBS), the licensee of noncommercial educational 
television PBS member station WBRA-TV (WBRA-TV or Station), channel *3, 
Roanoke, Virginia, requesting the substitution of channel *13 in place 
of channel *3 at Roanoke in the Table of TV Allotments. For the reasons 
set forth in the Report and Order referenced below, the Bureau amends 
FCC regulations to substitute channel *13 for channel *3 at Roanoke.

DATES: Effective March 24, 2023.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce Bernstein, Media Bureau, at 
(202) 418-1647, [email protected]; or Emily Harrison, Media 
Bureau, at (202) 418-1665, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed rule was published at 88 FR 
3680 on January 20, 2023. The Petitioner filed comments in support of 
the petition reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel *13. No 
other comments were filed.
    The Bureau believes the public interest would be served by 
substituting channel *13 for channel *3 at Roanoke, Virginia. The 
proposed channel substitution will improve viewers' access to the 
Station's PBS and other public television programming by improving 
reception and resolving low-VHF reception issues. The Petitioner 
further states that the Commission has recognized that although VHF 
reception issues are not universal, ``environmental noise blockages 
affecting [VHF] signal strength and reception exist'' and ``[vary] 
widely from service area to service area.'' According to the 
Petitioner, the Station's move from channel *3 to channel *13 is 
predicted to create an area where 64,309 persons are predicted to lose 
service without considering the service from other PBS stations. When 
taking into account the service provided by noncommercial educational 
stations WUNC-TV and WUNL-TV to the WBRA-TV noise limited service 
contour area, only 94 persons are predicted to lose access to PBS 
network programming, which is de minimis.
    This is a synopsis of the Commission's Report and Order, MB Docket 
No. 23-14; RM-11943; DA 23-221, adopted March 15, 2023, and released 
March 15, 2023. 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 this 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.

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission amends 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.


0
2. In Sec.  73.622(j), amend the Table of TV Allotments, under 
Virginia, by revising the entry for Roanoke to read as follows:


Sec.  73.622  Digital television table of allotments.

* * * * *
    (j) * * *

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                 Community                           Channel No.
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                                * * * * *
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                                VIRGINIA
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                                * * * * *
Roanoke...................................  * 13, 27, 30, 34, 36.
 
                                * * * * *
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[FR Doc. 2023-06095 Filed 3-23-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P