[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 121 (Monday, June 24, 2024)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 52431-52432]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-13693]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 24-153; RM-11983; DA 24-559; FR ID 226551]


Television Broadcasting Services Augusta, Georgia

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule.

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SUMMARY: The Video Division, Media Bureau (Bureau), has before it a 
petition for rulemaking filed June 7, 2024, by Gray Television 
Licensee, LLC, the licensee of WRDW-TV, channel 12, Augusta, Georgia. 
Gray also holds a construction permit to construct a facility on 
channel 27 at Augusta. Gray now requests that the Bureau substitute 
channel 12 for channel 27 at Augusta in the Table of TV Allotments, 
with the technical parameters as set forth in WRDW-TV's current 
license.

DATES: Comments must be filed on or before July 24, 2024 and reply 
comments on or before August 8, 2024.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, Office of the Secretary, 
45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554. In addition to filing comments 
with the FCC, interested parties should serve counsel for the 
Petitioner as follows: Joan Stewart, Esq., Wiley Rein LLP,

[[Page 52432]]

1776 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May 5, 2021, the Bureau granted a 
petition for rulemaking submitted by Gray to substitute channel 27 for 
channel 12 at Augusta for WRDW-TV. On June 25, 2021, Gray was granted a 
construction permit for its new channel, which is scheduled to expire 
on June 25, 2024. In its Petition, Gray states that it will be unable 
to complete construction of the channel 27 facility by the expiration 
date. Thus, Gray requests amendment of the Table of TV Allotments to 
allow it to continue to operate on channel 12. Gray proposes to specify 
the technical parameters of its currently licensed channel 12 facility.
    We believe that the Petitioner's channel substitution proposal for 
WRDW-TV warrants consideration. WRDW-TV is currently operating on 
channel 12 and the substitution of channel 12 for channel 27 in the TV 
Table of Allotments will allow the Station to remain on the air and 
continue to provide service to viewers within its service area. Given 
that Gray proposes to utilize its currently licensed parameters, we 
believe channel 12 can be substituted for channel 27 at Augusta as 
proposed, in compliance with the principal community coverage 
requirements of Sec.  73.618(a) of the Commission's rules at 
coordinates 33-24'-37'' N and 081-50'-36.0'' W. In addition, we find 
that this channel change meets the technical requirements set forth in 
Sec.  73.622(a) of the rules.
    This is a synopsis of the Commission's Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 24-153; RM-11983; DA 24-559, adopted June 13, 
2024, and released June 13, 2024. The full text of this document is 
available for download at https://www.fcc.gov/edocs. To request 
materials in accessible formats (braille, large print, computer 
diskettes, or audio recordings), please send an email to [email protected] 
or call the Consumer & Government 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.
    Members of the public should note that all ex parte contacts are 
prohibited from the time a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is issued to 
the time the matter is no longer subject to Commission consideration or 
court review, see 47 CFR 1.1208. There are, however, exceptions to this 
prohibition, which can be found in Sec.  1.1204(a) of the Commission's 
rules, 47 CFR 1.1204(a).
    See Sections 1.415 and 1.420 of the Commission's rules for 
information regarding the proper filing procedures for comments, 47 CFR 
1.415 and 1.420.
    Providing Accountability Through Transparency Act: The Providing 
Accountability Through Transparency Act, Public Law 118-9, requires 
each agency, in providing notice of a rulemaking, to post online a 
brief plain-language summary of the proposed rule. The required summary 
of this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking/Further Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking is available at https://www.fcc.gov/proposed-rulemakings.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

    Television.

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

Proposed Rule

    For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal 
Communications Commission proposes to amend 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, in the table in paragraph (j), under Georgia, amend 
by revising the entry for Augusta 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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                                 Georgia
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                                * * * * *
Augusta.................................................      12, 28, 36
 
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[FR Doc. 2024-13693 Filed 6-21-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P