Rule2023-06095
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
March 24, 2023
Effective
March 24, 2023
Issuing agencies
Federal Communications Commission
Abstract
On January 11, 2023, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) 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.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 88 Issue 57 (Friday, March 24, 2023)</title>
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[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 [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[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, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e2a88d9b8187cca087908c9196878b8ca2848181cc858d94"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="8bc1e4f2e8eea5c9eef9e5f8ffeee2e5cbede8e8a5ece4fd">[email protected]</span></a>; or Emily Harrison, Media
Bureau, at (202) 418-1665, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#3471595d584d1a7c5546465d475b5a745257571a535b42"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6b2e0602071245230a1919021804052b0d0808450c041d">[email protected]</span></a>.
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 <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/edocs">https://www.fcc.gov/edocs</a>. To request materials in
accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print,
electronic files, audio format), send an email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#0a6c69693f3a3e4a6c6969246d657c"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="d9bfbabaece9ed99bfbabaf7beb6af">[email protected]</span></a> 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
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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 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
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