Advisory Committee on Publis Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters; Notice of Open Meeting

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA)

Advisory Committee on Publis Interest Obligations of Digital

Television Broadcasters; Notice of Open Meeting

December 31, 1997.

ACTION: Notice is hereby given of a meeting of the Advisory Committee

on Public Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters,

created pursuant to Executive Order 13038.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The President established the Advisory Committee on Public

Interest Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters (PIAC) to

advise the Vice President on the public interest

[[Page 68261]]

obligations of digital broadcasters. The Committee will study and

recommend which public interest obligations should accompany

broadcasters' receipt of digital television licenses. The President

designated the National Telecommunications and Information

Administration as secretariat for the Committee.

AUTHORITY: Executive Order 13038, signed by President Clinton on March

11, 1997.

DATES: The meeting will be held on Friday, January 16, 1998 from 8:30

a.m. until 5:30 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The meeting is scheduled to take place in the Lounge of the

Export-Import Bank of the United States, 11th Floor, 811 Vermont

Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20571. This location is subject to

change. If the location changes, another Federal Register notice will

be issued. Updates about the location of the meeting will also be

available on the Advisory Committee's homepage at www.ntia.doc.gov/

pubintadvcom/pubint.htm or you may call Karen Edwards at 202-482-8056.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Karen Edwards, Designated Federal

Officer and Telecommunications Policy Specialist, at the National

Telecommunications and Information Administration; U.S. Department of

Commerce, Room 4716; 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W.;

Washington, DC 20230. Telephone: 202-482-8056; Fax: 202-482-8058; E-

mail: [email protected].

MEDIA INQUIRIES: Please contact Paige Darden at the Office of Public

Affairs, at 202-482-7002.

Agenda

Friday, January 16

Opening remarks

Briefings on the technology of digital broadcasting and the

implications for new programming services

Briefings on educational programming in the digital era

Public comment

Committee business

Closing remarks

This agenda is subject to change. For an updated, more detailed

agenda, please check the Advisory Committee homepage at

www.ntia.doc.gov/pubintadvcom/pubint.htm.

Public Participation

The meeting will be open to the public, with limited seating

available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please bring a form of

picture identification such as a driver's license or passport for

clearance into the building on the day of the meeting. This meeting is

physically accessible to people with disabilities. Any member of the

public requiring special services, such as sign language interpretation

or other ancillary aids, should contact Karen Edwards at least five (5)

working days prior to the meeting at 202-482-8056 or at

[email protected].

Any member of the public may submit written comments concerning the

Committee's affairs at any time before or after the meeting. The

Secretariat's guidelines for public comment are described below and are

available on the Advisory Committee website (www.ntia.doc.gov/

pubintadvcom/pubint.htm) or by calling 202-482-8056.

Guidelines for Public Comment

The Advisory Committee on Public Interest Obligations of Digital

Television Broadcasters welcomes public comments.

Oral Comment: In general, opportunities for oral comment will

usually be limited to no more than five (5) minutes per speaker and no

more than thirty (30) minutes total at each meeting.

Written Comment: Written comments must be submitted to the Advisory

Committee Secretariat at the address listed below. Comments can be

submitted either by letter addressed to the Committee (please place

``Public Comment'' on the bottom left of the envelope and submit at

least thirty-five (35) copies) or by electronic mail to

[email protected] (please use ``Public Comment'' as the subject line).

Written comments received within three (3) workings days of a meeting

and comments received shortly after a meeting will be compiled and sent

as briefing material to Committee members prior to the next scheduled

meeting.

Obtaining Meeting Minutes

Within thirty (30) days following the meeting, copies of the

minutes of the meeting may be obtained over the Internet at

www.ntia.doc.gov/pubintadvcom/pubint.htm, by phone request at 202-482-

8056 or 202-501-6195, by email request at [email protected] or by

written request to Karen Edwards; Advisory Committee on Public Interest

Obligations of Digital Television Broadcasters; National

Telecommunications and Information Administration; U.S. Department of

Commerce, Room 4716; 14th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W.;

Washington, DC 20230.

Shirl Kinney,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information.

[FR Doc. 97-34078 Filed 12-30-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-60-P