Federal Register: FCC (Broadcasting)

This document proposes to amend the FM Table of Allotments by allotting Channel 285C3 at Maryville, Missouri, as the community's fourth local service. A staff engineering analysis indicates that Channel 285C3 can be allotted to Maryville consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of the Commission's rules without a site restriction. The reference coordinates are 40-22-33 NL and 94-51- 25 WL.

On February 12, 2016, the Commission published a summary of Commission's document, Report No. 3037, 81 FR 7491, announcing that oppositions to Petitions for Reconsideration must been filed by February 29, 2016, and replies to an opposition must be filed on or before March 25, 2016. This document corrects the due date for replies to an opposition.

In this document, the Commission expand the list of entities that will be required to post their public inspection files to the FCC's online database. In 2012, the Commission adopted online public file rules that required broadcast television stations to post public file documents to a central, FCC-hosted online database rather than maintaining paper files locally at their main studios. Our goals were to modernize the procedures television broadcasters use to inform the public about how they are serving their communities, to make information concerning broadcast service more accessible to the public, and, over time, to reduce the cost of broadcasters' compliance. This final rule document continues our modernization effort by expanding the online file to other media entities to extend the benefits of improved public access to public inspection files and, ultimately, reduce the burden of maintaining these files.

In this document, the Commission dismisses, and on separate grounds, denies petitions for reconsideration seeking reconsideration of the Commission's decisions in the Incentive Auction R&O and the Incentive Auction Second Order on Reconsideration not to protect certain broadcast television stations (WOSC-CD, Pittsburgh, PA; WPTG- CD, Pittsburgh, PA; WIAV-CD, Washington, DC; and KKYK-CD, Little Rock, AK) in the repacking process or make them eligible for the reverse auction. The Commission also concludes that WDYB-CD, Daytona Beach, Florida is not entitled to discretionary repacking protection or eligible to participate in the reverse auction.

The Commission has before it a petition for rulemaking filed by Gray Television License, LLC, proposed assignee of KDUH-TV, Scottsbluff, Nebraska and New Rushmore Radio, Inc., the licensee of station KDUH-TV, channel 7, Scottsbluff, Nebraska (collectively ``Petitioners''), requesting an amendment of the DTV Table of Allotments to delete channel 7 at Scottsbluff and substitute channel 7 at Sidney, Nebraska. While the Commission instituted a freeze on the acceptance of full power television rulemaking petitions requesting channel substitutions in May 2011, Petitioners are seeking a waiver asserting that because the proposed change in community of license does not involve any proposed change in technical facilities, grant of the petition would not impact on the Post-Transition Table of DTV Allotments. Petitioners believe that a waiver here would serve the public interest and that community in Sidney would remain well-served after reallotment.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved, for a period of three years, information collection requirements adopted in the Commission's Report and Order relating to the Amendment of the Commission's Rules Related to Broadcast Licensee- Conducted Contests. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the rule.

Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's Rulemaking proceeding by Howard S. Shapiro, on behalf of Audio-Technica U.S., Inc., Laura Stefani, on behalf of Sennheiser Electronic Corp., Paul Margie, on behalf of Google Inc., Paula Boyd, on behalf of Microsoft Corporation, Stephen E. Coran, on behalf of Wireless Internet Service Providers Association, Rick Kaplan, on behalf of National Association of Broadcasters, Lawrence J. Movshin, on behalf of WMTS Coalition, Catherine Wang, on behalf of Shure Incorporated, Ari Q. Fitzgerald, on behalf GE Healthcare, Gordon Moore, on behalf of Lectrosonics, Inc. and Telecommunications Law Professionals PLLC, on behalf of Carlson Wireless Technologies, Inc. and Cal.net, Inc.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved on January 19, 2016, for a period for three years, an information collection for FCC Form 338, AM Station Modulation Dependent Carrier Level (MDCL) Notification Form and 47 CFR 73.1560 contained in the Report and Order, FCC 15-142. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the requirements.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on additional issues relating to channel sharing outside of the auction context and announces that it intends to resolve all of the outstanding issues regarding channel sharing outside the incentive auction context, including those raised in a prior notice, in a forthcoming decision.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) adopted several measures to facilitate the final conversion of low power television (LPTV) and TV translator stations to digital service. The Commission also adopted proposals to mitigate the potential impact of the broadcast television spectrum incentive auction and the repacking process on LPTV and TV translator stations and to help preserve the important services they provide.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (``Commission'' or ``FCC'') defines when and in what areas 600 MHz Band wireless licensees will be deemed to ``commence operations'' for the purpose of establishing when secondary and unlicensed users must cease operations and vacate the 600 MHz Band.

In this document, the Commission adopted a number of procedures and procedural changes designed to assist AM broadcasters to better serve the public, thereby advancing the Commission's fundamental goals of localism, competition, and diversity in broadcast media.

In this document, the Commission adopted a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FNPRM), in which it sought comment on several proposals designed to revitalize the AM broadcast radio service, or to reduce burdens on AM broadcasters. The Commission further adopted a Notice of Inquiry (NOI), in which it sought comment on two proposals designed to revitalize the AM broadcast radio service. One of the proposals, regarding increased utilization of the AM expanded band, was suggested by several commenters in response to the NPRM in this proceeding, The second proposal, for relaxation of the Commission's main studio rules for AM stations, was suggested by a commenter and supported by others.

On December 10, 2015, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published a summary of a Public Notice, 80 FR 76649, announcing that oppositions to Petitions for Reconsideration must be filed by December 28, 2015, and replies to an opposition must be filed by December 21, 2015. This document corrects the due date for replies to an opposition.

Petitions for Reconsideration (Petitions) have been filed in the Commission's proceeding by: Kathleen O'Brien Ham, on behalf of T- Mobile USA, Inc.; Caressa D. Bennet, on behalf of PBP Group, LLC, Bulloch Cellular, Inc., Pineland Cellular, Inc., and Planters Rural Cellular, Inc.; and A. Wray Fitch, III, on behalf of Walker Broadcasting Company, Inc. T-Mobile USA, Inc.'s petition requests a declaratory ruling in the alternative.

In this document, the Commission announces that, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved, on an emergency basis, for a period for six months, an information collection for FCC Form 177, Application to Participate in a Reverse Incentive Auction, and certain Commission's rules contained in the Report and Order, Expanding the Economic and Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions, FCC 14-50. This document is consistent with the Report and Order, which stated that the Commission would publish a document in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the effective date of the rules and requirements.

In this document, the Media Bureau adopts the following a final catalog of expenses; a procedure whereby reimbursement payments will be disbursed via the agency's internal vendor payment system; a procedural requirement that the Reimbursement Form, with supporting cost documentation, must be submitted each time an entity makes a request for reimbursement from the Fund; and a decision that cost documentation, as well as the name, address, and other identifying information pertaining to vendors, will not be made publicly available.

The Commission recently adopted rules to repurpose broadcast television spectrum for new wireless services via an incentive auction. This document modifies Commission rules for unlicensed wireless devices and wireless microphones in the reconstituted TV bands and the new 600 MHz band. This document modifies the Commission's rules for unlicensed operations in the frequency bands that are now and will continue to be allocated and assigned to broadcast television services (TV bands), including fixed and personal/portable white space devices and unlicensed wireless microphones. It adopts technical and operational rules for unlicensed devices and wireless microphones in the 600 MHz guard bands, including the duplex gap, and in the 600 MHz band that will be repurposed for new wireless services. It also adopts rules for fixed and personal/portable white space device operation on channel 37 and for the operation of unlicensed wireless microphones in the TV bands. This document modify the white space database rules to implement certain decisions, including protecting areas where new 600 MHz service licensees commence operation and areas used by incumbent services on channel 37.

This document resolves the remaining technical issues affecting the operation of new 600 MHz wireless licensees and broadcast television stations in areas where they operate on the same or adjacent channels in geographic proximity. Specifically, the Commission adopted the methodology and the regulatory framework for the protection of both wireless services and broadcasting in the post-auction environment that it proposed in October 2014. The Commission affirms its decision regarding the methodology to be used during the incentive auction to predict inter-service interference between broadcasting and wireless services. The Commission also affirmed its decision declining to adopt a cap on the aggregate amount of new interference a broadcast television station may receive from other television stations in the repacking process.

In this document, the Commission takes several steps to accommodate the long-term needs of wireless microphone users. Wireless microphones play an important role in enabling broadcasters and other video programming networks to serve consumers, including as they cover breaking news and live sports events. They enhance event productions in a variety of settings--including theaters and music venues, film studios, conventions, corporate events, houses of worship, and internet webcasts. They also help create high quality content that consumers demand and value. In particular, the Commission provides additional opportunities for wireless microphone operations in the TV bands following the upcoming incentive auction, and provides new opportunities for wireless microphone operations to access spectrum in other frequency bands where they can share use of the bands without harming existing users.