Revision of Broadcast EEO Policies

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 1 and 73

[MM Docket No. 96-16, DA 96-1594]

Revision of Broadcast EEO Policies

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of reply comment period.

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SUMMARY: In Streamlining Broadcast EEO Rules and Policies, DA 96-1594,

released September 20, 1996, the Commission accepts late-filed comments

and, on its own motion, extends the date for filing reply comments

concerning the Commission's Order and Notice of Proposed Rule Making,

MM Docket No. 96-16. A group of organizations (Petitioners) requests

the acceptance of their late-filed comments, citing various reasons for

the delay, including loss of staff and the failure of three hard

drives. Because of these circumstances and in the interest of compiling

a full record in this rule making, the Commission will accept these

comments. In addition, due to the lateness of Petitioners' comments and

their voluminous nature, the Commission believes that the public

interest favors an extension of time for filing reply comments.

DATES: Reply comments due October 25, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission,

Washington, D.C. 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hope G. Cooper, Mass Media Bureau,

Enforcement Division. (202) 418-1450.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 1. On February 8, 1996, the Commission

adopted an Order and Notice of Proposed Rule Making, 11 FCC Rcd 5154

(1996), 61 FR 9964 (March 12, 1996), which vacated the Commission's EEO

Forfeiture Policy Statement and requested comment on proposals for

amending the Commission's EEO Rule and policies. Comment and Reply

Comment dates were established for April 30, 1996, and May 30, 1996,

respectively.

2. On April 12, 1996, twenty organizations, including the Minority

Media and Telecommunications Council (hereinafter ``Petitioners''),

filed a Motion for Extension of Time to file comments in response to

the above-captioned proceeding.1 On April 26, 1996, the Commission

granted the Petitioners' request for extension of time.2 The date

for filing comments was extended to July 1, 1996, and the date

[[Page 54601]]

for filing reply comments was extended to July 31, 1996.

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\1\ Minority Media and Telecommunications Council et al., Motion

For Extension of Time, MM Docket No. 96-16, filed April 12, 1996.

For the names of the twenty organizations, see National Council of

Churches et al., Petition For Reconsideration and Clarification, MM

Docket No. 96-16, filed April 11, 1996, at 1.

\2\ FCC 96-198 (released: April 26, 1996), 61 FR 25183 (May 20,

1996).

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3. Petitioners filed two additional extensions of time 3 which

the Commission granted.4 In response to the last request, the

Commission extended the date for filing comments to August 26, 1996,

and the date for filing reply comments to September 25, 1996.

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\3\ Minority Media and Telecommunications Council et al., Motion

For Further Extension of Time, MM Docket No. 96-16, filed June 20,

1996. Minority Media and Telecommunications Council et al., Motion

For Further Extension of Time, and For Waiver of Filing Deadline, MM

Docket No. 96-16, filed August 5, 1996.

\4\ 11 FCC Rcd 7624 (1996), 61 FR 37241 (July 17, 1996); DA 96-

1279 (released: August 9, 1996), 61 FR 46755 (September 5, 1996).

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4. On August 26, 1996, Petitioners filed Volume III of their

comments stating that Volumes I and II were still being edited but

would be filed shortly.5 They stated that they ``experienced

additional delay attendant to [their] analysis of the huge volume of

data in the two research studies'' contained in Volume III. On

September 17, 1996, Petitioners filed Volumes I and II of their

comments. Petitioners cite various difficulties that delayed the

completion of their comments including loss of staff and the failure of

three hard drives. They request acceptance of their late-filed

comments.

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\5\ On August 12, 1996, Petitioners filed a letter indicating

that the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

had joined Petitioners in their comments.

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5. In emergency situations, the Commission will consider motions

for acceptance of comments filed after the filing date. See Section

1.46(b) of the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR Section 1.46(b). Because of

the circumstances cited above and in the interest of compiling a full

record in this rule making, we will accept Petitioners' late-filed

comments. However, due to the lateness of Petitioners' comments and

their voluminous nature, we believe that the public interest favors an

extension of the time for filing reply comments. Consequently, on our

own motion, we will extend the deadline for filing reply comments to

October 25, 1996.

6. Accordingly, it is ordered that the Commission, on its own

motion, extends the time for filing reply comments.

7. It is further ordered that reply comments will be accepted

through October 25, 1996.

This action is taken pursuant to authority found in Sections 4(i)

and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C.

Sections 4(i) and 303(r), and Sections 0.204(b), 0.283 and 1.46 of the

Commission's Rules, 47 CFR Sections 0.204(b), 0.283 and 1.46.

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

Roy J. Stewart,

Chief, Mass Media Bureau.

[FR Doc. 96-26902 Filed 10-18-96; 8:45 am]

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