Aggregator

This document solicits comment on how to design and implement an incubator program to support the entry of new and diverse voices in the broadcast industry. It seeks comment on the structure, review, and oversight of such a program in order to help create new sources of financial, technical, operational, and managerial support for eligible broadcasters, thereby creating ownership opportunities for new entrants and small businesses and promoting competition and new voices in the broadcast industry.

In this document, an Order on Reconsideration repeals and modifies several of the Commission's broadcast ownership rules. Specifically, this document repeals the Newspaper/Broadcast Cross- Ownership Rule, the Radio/Television Cross-Ownership Rule, and the attribution rule for television joint sales agreements. This document also revises the Local Television Ownership Rule to eliminate the Eight-Voices Test and to modify the Top-Four Prohibition to better reflect the competitive conditions in local markets. This document provides a favorable presumption for waiver of the Local Radio Ownership Rule's market definitions as to transactions in certain embedded markets. Lastly, this document rejects requests to change the definition of Shared Service Agreements (SSAs) and the requirement that commercial television stations disclose SSAs by placing the agreements in each station's online public inspection file. In addition, the document finds that the record supports adoption of an incubator program to promote ownership diversity. The Order on Reconsideration grants in part and denies in part the Petitions for Reconsideration filed separately by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. (Nexstar), and Connoisseur Media LLC (Connoisseur).

The Audio Division dismisses the petition for rulemaking filed by N Content Marketing, LLC (Petitioner), proposing to amend the FM Table of Allotments, by allotting Channel 246C2 at Gaylord, Michigan. Petitioner did not file comments expressing a continuing interest in the proposed Gaylord allotment. It is the Commission's policy to refrain from making an allotment to a community absent an expression of interest. Roy E. Henderson and Great Northern Broadcasting, Inc., jointly (Joint Counterpropsal), as well as Smile FM, separately, submitted counterproposals. The Joint Counterproposal is dismissed and Smile FM is given the opportunity to file its counterproposal as a petition for rulemaking within 60 days for consideration in a new proceeding. We will not allot Channel 246C2 at Gaylord, Michigan.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is correcting an announcement of effective date for a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on December 18, 2017. In the last sentence of the Supplementary Information section of that document, the stated effective date of January 8, 2017 should have been January 8, 2018.

In this document, we seek further comment on issues related to exceptions to and waivers of the local simulcasting requirement, whether we should let full power broadcasters use channels in the television broadcast band that are vacant to facilitate the transition to 3.0, and finally, we tentatively conclude that local simulcasting should not change the significantly viewed status of a Next Gen TV station.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the non-substantive change request for the information collection requirements contained in FCC 17-137. 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 these rules.

Petitions for Reconsideration (Petition) have been filed in the Commission's rulemaking proceeding by Charles S. Farlow, on behalf of Medtronic, Inc., Chuck Powers on behalf of Motorola Solutions, Inc., and Michael E. Williams, on behalf of Cobra Electronics Corporation.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) eliminates the rule that requires each AM, FM, and television broadcast station to maintain a main studio located in or near its community of license. The FCC also eliminates existing requirements associated with the rule, including the requirement that the main studio have full-time management and staff present during normal business hours, and that it have program origination capability.

The Federal Communications Commission published a document in the Federal Register of November 17, 2017, concerning the Commission's grant of the request by Gray Television License, LLC (Gray) to substitute channel 7 for channel 5 for station KYES-TV, Anchorage, Alaska. The document contained the incorrect effective date.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) seeks comment on how to modernize two provisions in Part 73 of its rules governing broadcast licensees: Section 73.624(g), which establishes certain reporting obligations relating to the provision of ancillary or supplementary services, and Section 73.3580, which sets forth requirements concerning public notice of the filing of broadcast applications.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes and seeks comment on reforms of its licensing rules governing Priority Access Licenses (PALs) in the 3550-3700 MHz band (3.5 GHz Band). Specifically, the Commission proposes extending PAL license terms from three years to 10 years, with the possibility for renewal; seeks comment on increasing the PAL geographic licensing area; proposes to allow portioning and disaggregation of PALs on the secondary market; and proposes to amend the rules governing assignment of PALs. The Commission also proposes to remove a rule requiring public disclosure of device registration information, and seeks comment on changes to the technical rules to allow operation over wider bandwidths.

In this document, the Commission announces that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved, for a period of three years, amendments to the Commission's rules and revised filing procedures and changes to FCC Form 323 (Ownership Report for Commercial Broadcast Stations) and FCC Form 323-E (Ownership Report for Noncommercial Broadcast Stations), which the Commission adopted in the Report and Order, Promoting Diversification of Ownership in the Broadcasting Services, FCC 16-1. 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 amendments and revised filing procedures and changes to Forms 323 and 323-E.

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) is correcting a final rule that appeared in the Federal Register on April 4, 2016. That document revised FCC Form 323, Ownership Report for Commercial Broadcast Stations, and FCC Form 323-E, Ownership Report for Noncommercial Broadcast Stations, and amended Sections 73.3615 and 74.797 of the Commission's rules. This document corrects the final regulations by replacing references to ``FCC Form 2100, Schedule 323'' with ``FCC Form 323'' and replacing references to ``FCC Form 2100, Schedule 323-E'' with ``FCC Form 323-E.''

The Commission grants the request by Gray Television License, LLC (Gray) to substitute channel 7 for channel 5 for station KYES-TV, Anchorage, Alaska. Gray filed comments reaffirming its interest in the proposed channel substitution and stating that if the proposal is granted, it will promptly file an application for the facilities specified in the rulemaking petition and construct the station. As Gray explained in its petition, the antenna currently used by KYES-TV is a repurposed analog antenna the previous station owner built which provides an inefficient signal. In addition, the current remote transmission site does not have a generator and KYES-TV goes silent when there is a power outage. By moving to sister station KTUU's location, and operating with an existing modern broadband antenna on a high-VHF channel, the station will be able to deliver an improved signal. Gray will also add the KYES-TV signal to the translator network used by KTUU, which will reduce most of the loss of service that would result from the proposed move, which will serve the public interest.

This document amends certain Commission rules applying to AM broadcast stations using directional antenna arrays. AM directional antenna arrays are multiple-tower installations designed to direct radio energy primarily in certain directions in order to avoid interfering with other AM broadcast stations. Approximately 40 percent of all AM broadcasters use directional arrays during some part of the broadcast day. These rule amendments are intended to decrease the burdens and expense of installing and maintaining directional arrays, especially for AM broadcasters using Method of Moments (MoM) modeling for proofs of performance of their directional arrays.

The Federal Communications Commission (Commission) amends its equipment authorization regulations, increasing the Commission's agility to respond to changes in technology and industry standards. This rule consolidates, simplifies, and streamlines certain procedures, and removes the requirement to file the import declaration FCC Form 740 under certain circumstances.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) proposes to eliminate rules that require certain broadcast and cable entities to maintain paper copies of Commission regulations.

In this document, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) amends its rules to permit vehicular radars and certain non-vehicular fixed and mobile radars used at airports to operate in the entire 76-81 GHz band on an interference-protected basis. Access to the entire 76-81 GHz band is intended to provide sufficient spectrum bandwidth to enable the deployment of wideband high-precision short- range vehicular radar (SRR) applications, such as blind spot detectors, that can enhance the safety of drivers and other road users, while continuing to allow the deployment of proven long-range vehicular radar (LRR) applications, such as adaptive cruise control. The amended rules also permit the deployment in airport air operations areas of fixed and mobile radars that detect foreign object debris (FOD) on runways, which could harm aircraft on take-off and landing, and aircraft-mounted radars that can help aircraft avoid colliding with equipment, buildings, and other aircraft while moving on airport grounds. In addition, the amended rules allow for the continued shared use of the 76-81 GHz band by other incumbent users, including amateur radio operators and the scientific research community.

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, the information collection associated with the Commission's Report and Order, FCC 17-33. The Commission also announces the effective date of the remaining part 97 Amateur Radio Service rules adopted in FCC 17-33 that had not yet been made effective. These rules do not require OMB approval. 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 of the information collection requirement and the relevant effective date of the rules.