Proposed Rule2022-08607
Television Broadcasting Services Augusta, Maine
Primary source
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Published
April 28, 2022
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
The Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation (Petitioner), the licensee of WCBB, channel *10, Augusta, Maine. The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel *20 for channel *10 at Augusta in the Table of Allotments.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 82 (Thursday, April 28, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 82 (Thursday, April 28, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Page 25196]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-08607]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 73
[MB Docket No. 22-150; RM-11926; DA 22-403; FRS 82844]
Television Broadcasting Services Augusta, Maine
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) has
before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Maine Public Broadcasting
Corporation (Petitioner), the licensee of WCBB, channel *10, Augusta,
Maine. The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel *20 for
channel *10 at Augusta in the Table of Allotments.
DATES: Comments must be filed on or before May 31, 2022 and reply
comments on or before June 13, 2022.
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: Derek Teslik, Esq., Gray Miller Persh, 2233
Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce Bernstein, Media Bureau, at
(202) 418-1647; or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5c1633253f39721e392e322f283935321c3a3f3f723b332a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="fcb693859f99d2be998e928f88999592bc9a9f9fd29b938a">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In support, the Petitioner states that the
proposed channel substitution would serve the public interest, since
WCBB is one of only two full power stations in the market to broadcast
on a VHF channel, and moving the Station to a UHF channel would improve
the community's access to WCBB's Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and
other public television programming by improving indoor reception.
According to Petitioner, although the proposed channel *20 facilities
will result in a slight reduction in the Station's predicted population
served, much of the predicted loss area is located outside the State of
Maine and the vast majority is served by Petitioner's stations WMEB-TV,
Orono, Maine, and WMEA-TV, Biddeford, Maine, or by other PBS member
stations, WENH-TV, Durham, New Hampshire, WLED-TV, Littleton, New
Hampshire, and WVTB, St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Petitioner further states
that once terrain-limitations are factored into the analysis, the new
loss area that would be created by the proposed substitution would
contain 144 persons, which it asserts is well below the level the
Commission considers de minimis in the context of considering
impermissible loss of service. Since the proposed facility is located
within the Canadian coordination zone, concurrence from the Canadian
government must be obtained for this allotment.
This is a synopsis of the Commission's Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 22-150; RM-11926; DA 22-403, adopted April
13, 2022, and released April 13, 2022. The full text of this document
is available for download at <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/edocs">https://www.fcc.gov/edocs</a>. To request
materials in accessible formats (braille, large print, computer
diskettes, or audio recordings), please send an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#75333636404541351316165b121a03"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7f393c3c4a4f4b3f191c1c51181009">[email protected]</span></a>
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 Sec. Sec. 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.
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 SERVICES
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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.
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2. In Sec. 73.622(j), amend the Table of Allotments under Maine by
changing *10 to *20 in the entry for Augusta 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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MAINE
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Augusta................................................. * 20
* * * * *
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[FR Doc. 2022-08607 Filed 4-27-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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