Proposed Rule2021-28288
Media Bureau Extends Comment and Reply Comment Deadlines for FM Directional Antenna NPRM
Primary source
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Published
December 30, 2021
Effective
January 20, 2022
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
In this document, the Commission grants a motion for extension of time in the Updating FM Broadcast Radio Service Directional Antenna Performance Verification proceeding, to extend the comment and reply comment deadlines.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 86 Issue 248 (Thursday, December 30, 2021)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 248 (Thursday, December 30, 2021)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 74401-74402]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2021-28288]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
[MB Docket No. 21-422; DA 21-1611; FR ID 64452]
Media Bureau Extends Comment and Reply Comment Deadlines for FM
Directional Antenna NPRM
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission grants a motion for extension
of time in the Updating FM Broadcast Radio Service Directional Antenna
Performance Verification proceeding, to extend the comment and reply
comment deadlines.
DATES: Comments may be filed on or before January 20, 2022, and reply
comments may be filed on or before February 4, 2022.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by MB Docket No. 21-422,
by any of the following methods:
<bullet> Electronic Filers: Federal Communications Commission's
website: <a href="https://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs//">https://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs//</a>. Follow the instructions for
submitting comments.
<bullet> Paper Filers: Parties who choose to file by paper must
file an original and one copy of each filing.
Filings can be sent by commercial overnight courier, or by first-
class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail (although the Commission
continues to experience delays in receiving U.S. Postal Service mail).
All filings must be addressed to the Commission's Secretary, Office of
the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
<bullet> Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service
Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive,
Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.
<bullet> U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority
mail must be addressed to 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554.
<bullet> Effective March 19, 2020, and until further notice, the
Commission no longer accepts any hand or messenger delivered filings.
This is a temporary measure taken to help protect the health and safety
of individuals, and to mitigate the transmission of COVID-19.
<bullet> During the time the Commission's building is closed to the
general public and until further notice, if more than one docket or
rulemaking number appears in the caption of a proceeding, paper filers
need not submit two additional copies for each additional docket or
rulemaking number; an original and one copy are sufficient.
People with Disabilities: Contact the FCC to request reasonable
accommodations (accessible format documents, sign language
interpreters, CART, etc.) by email: <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#c5838686f0f5f185a3a6a6eba2aab3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="460005057376720620252568212930">[email protected]</span></a> or phone: 202-418-
0530 or 202-418-0432 (TTY).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Albert Shuldiner, Chief, Media Bureau,
Audio Division, (202) 418-2700; Thomas Nessinger, Senior Counsel, Media
Bureau, Audio Division, (202) 418-2700.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a summary of the Media Bureau's
Public Notice in MB Docket No. 21-422; DA 21-1611, released on December
20, 2021. The full text of this document is available electronically
for public inspection via ECFS at <a href="https://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs">https://apps.fcc.gov/ecfs</a> and the
FCC's website at <a href="https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-21-1611A1.pdf">https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-21-1611A1.pdf</a>. Documents will be available electronically in ASCII,
Microsoft Word, and/or Adobe Acrobat. Alternative formats are available
for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files,
audio format), by sending an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection" class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="44222727717470042227276a232b32">[email protected]</a> or calling the
Commission's Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530
(voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).
Synopsis
1. By this Public Notice, the Media Bureau extends the deadlines
for filing comments and reply comments in the above-captioned
proceeding to update the Commission's rules by allowing an FM or LPFM
applicant proposing a directional antenna system to verify the system's
performance through computer modeling.
2. On November 15, 2021, the Commission released a Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking setting out its proposed rule changes allowing
verification of FM and LPFM directional antennas by computer modeling.
Updating FM Broadcast Radio Service Directional Antenna Performance
Verification, MB Docket No. 21-422, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC
21-117 (Nov. 15, 2021). On November 30, 2021, the Media Bureau
announced a comment filing deadline of December 30, 2021, and a reply
comment filing deadline of January 14, 2022, in the above-captioned
proceeding. Comment and Reply Comment Dates Set for FM Directional
Antenna NPRM, MB Docket No. 21-422, Public Notice, DA 21-1485 (MB Nov.
30, 2021).
3. On December 17, 2021, the National Association of Broadcasters
(NAB) requested an extension of the comment and reply comment filing
deadlines until January 20 and February 4, 2022, respectively. Motion
for Extension of Time of the National Association of Broadcasters
(NAB), MB Docket No. 21-422 (filed Dec. 17, 2021) (Extension Motion).
NAB states that, in the Joint Petition for Rulemaking on which the NPRM
was based (Joint Petition for Rulemaking, filed by Dielectric, LLC;
Educational Media Foundation; Jampro Antennas, Inc.; Radio Frequency
Systems; and Shively Labs (filed June 15, 2021)), the Joint Petitioners
included a technical exhibit comparing the results of computer modeling
using one commercial software product with the physical measurements
taken from an FM directional antenna mounted on one particular type of
tower. Extension Motion at 2. NAB believes that the record would
``significantly benefit from additional technical information involving
common tower structures and other commercial software products.'' Id.
However, while NAB states it has reached out to broadcasters,
consulting engineers, and antenna manufacturers to provide such
technical data for the record, it points out that the end-of-year
holiday season and upcoming federal holidays means that many potential
commenters will be on vacation, or their offices will be closed or
dealing with
[[Page 74402]]
year-end business matters. Id. NAB thus requests a three-week extension
of both the comment and reply comment deadlines.
4. As set forth in section 1.46(a) of the Commission's rules, 47
CFR 1.46(a), the Commission's policy is that extensions of time shall
not be routinely granted. We find, however, that NAB has set forth a
sufficient justification to warrant grant of their requested extension.
As an extension should enable interested parties to present more
complete and technically constructive comments to the Commission, we
agree with NAB that both the parties commenting in the proceeding and
the Commission should benefit and that the extension should not
disadvantage any party. Extension Motion at 2-3. Accordingly, we grant
the NAB's request and extend the comment and reply comment deadlines by
three weeks, until January 20, 2022, and February 4, 2022,
respectively.
5. For additional information on this proceeding, contact Tom
Nessinger, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#a5f1cdcac8c4d68bebc0d6d6cccbc2c0d7e5c3c6c68bc2cad3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a4f0cccbc9c5d78aeac1d7d7cdcac3c1d6e4c2c7c78ac3cbd2">[email protected]</span></a>, of the Media Bureau, Audio
Division. Press inquiries should be directed to Janice Wise,
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0248636c6b61672c556b7167426461612c656d74"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="ade7ccc3c4cec883fac4dec8edcbcece83cac2db">[email protected]</span></a>, (202) 418-8165.
Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas Horan,
Chief of Staff, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2021-28288 Filed 12-29-21; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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