Proposed Rule2023-01002
Television Broadcasting Services Roanoke, Virginia
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 20, 2023
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Blue Ridge Public Television (Petitioner), the licensee of WBRA-TV, channel 3, Roanoke, Virginia. The Petitioner requests the substitution of channel 13 in place of channel 3 at Roanoke in the Table of Allotments.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 13 (Friday, January 20, 2023)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 13 (Friday, January 20, 2023)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 3680-3681]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2023-01002]
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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Part 73
[MB Docket No. 23-14; RM-11943; DA 23-23; FR ID 122971]
Television Broadcasting Services Roanoke, Virginia
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule.
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SUMMARY: The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed
by Blue Ridge Public Television (Petitioner), the licensee of WBRA-TV,
channel 3, Roanoke, Virginia. The Petitioner requests the substitution
of channel 13 in place of channel 3 at Roanoke in the Table of
Allotments.
DATES: Comments must be filed on or before February 21, 2023 and reply
comments on or before March 6, 2023.
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: Brad Deutsch, Esq., Foster Garvey PC, 1000
Potomac Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20007.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce Bernstein, Media Bureau, at
(202) 418-1647, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#97ddf8eef4f2b9d5f2e5f9e4e3f2fef9d7f1f4f4b9f0f8e1"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a5efcadcc6c08be7c0d7cbd6d1c0cccbe5c3c6c68bc2cad3">[email protected]</span></a>; or Emily Harrison, Media
Bureau, at (202) 418-1665, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5c193135302572143d2e2e352f33321c3a3f3f723b332a"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f8bd95919481d6b0998a8a918b9796b89e9b9bd69f978e">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In support, the Petitioner states that the
proposed channel substitution serves the public interest because it
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 VHF channels have certain propagation characteristics
which may cause reception issues for some viewers, as well as the
existence of environmental noise blockages affecting VHF signal
strength and reception, which may vary widely by service area.
According to the Petitioner, WBRA-TV's proposed move from channel 3 to
channel 13 is predicted to create an area where 64,309 persons are
predicted to lose service
[[Page 3681]]
without considering the service from other PBS stations. However, when
taking into account service from other PBS stations, only 94 persons
are predicted to lose PBS service, a number which the Petitioner
asserts the Commission has found to be de minimis.
This is a synopsis of the Commission's Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 23-14; RM-11943; DA 23-23, adopted January
10, 2023, and released January 11, 2023. 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#80c6c3c3b5b0b4c0e6e3e3aee7eff6"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="175154542227235771747439707861">[email protected]</span></a>
or call the Consumer and 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.
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 section 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.
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
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.
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2. In Sec. 73.622 in paragraph (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) Table of TV Allotments.
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Community Channel No.
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* * * * *
Virginia
* * * * *
Roanoke................................... * 13, 27, 30, 34, 36
* * * * *
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[FR Doc. 2023-01002 Filed 1-19-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P
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