Broadcast Services; Radio Stations, Television Stations

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Chapter 1

[MM Docket No. 98-35; DA: 98-854]

Broadcast Services; Radio Stations, Television Stations

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment period.

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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the request of the National Association of

Broadcasters, the Chief, Mass Media Bureau, acting under delegated

authority, extends the comment and reply comment deadlines, on whether

any or all of its broadcast ownership rules are no longer in the public

interest as a result of competition, for sixty days. The new deadlines

will be July 21, 1998, for comments and August 21, 1998, for reply

comments.

DATES: Comments are now due by July 21, 1998, and reply comments are

due by August 21, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20554

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Roger Holberg, Mass Media Bureau,

Policy and Rules Division, (202) 418-2134, or Dan Bring, Mass Media

Bureau, Policy and Rules Division, (202) 418-2170.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This is a synopsis of the Commission's Order

in MM Docket No. 98-35, DA-854, adopted and released May 7, 1998. The

complete text of this Order is available for inspection and copying

during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center (Room 239),

1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., and may also be purchased from

the Commission's copy contractor, International Transcription Service,

(202) 857-3800, 1231 20th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036. The

Order is also available on the Internet at the Commission's web site:

http://www.fcc.gov.:

1. On March 12, 1998, the Commission, pursuant to Section 202(h) of

the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (``Telecom Act''),1

adopted a Notice of Inquiry (``Notice''), 63 FR 15353, March 31, 1998,

in this proceeding soliciting comment on all of the Commission's

broadcast ownership rules except for those already being examined in

pending proceedings. The deadline for filing comments was set at May

22, 1998, and for reply comments June 22, 1998.

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\1\ Pub. L. No. 104-104, 110 Stat. 56 (1996).

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2. On April 20, 1998, the National Association of Broadcasters

(``NAB'') filed a ``Motion for Extension of Time of Comment and Reply

Comment Deadlines'' seeking a sixty-day extension of the comment and

reply comment deadlines. NAB states that it has identified several

areas pertinent to the biennial review in which it plans to complete

research and analysis. It believes that the results of these studies,

and additional studies currently being

[[Page 26759]]

discussed among NAB's staff and other parties, will be helpful to the

Commission's inquiry. Furthermore, NAB asserts, the issues raised by

the Notice, and the NAB's position on them, will be major subjects of

its Joint Board of Directors meeting scheduled June 27-30, 1998.

3. We will grant the requested extension. Although the Commission

has a policy of not routinely granting extensions of time for filing

comments in rulemaking proceedings 2 this proceeding raises

a number of complex issues concerning the nature, dimension, and

competitiveness of the several markets in which the subject rules

operate. A well-documented record will best conduce to an informed

decision as to which of the Commission's broadcast ownership rules are

no longer necessary in the public interest as a result of competition.

Additionally: (1) The National Association of Broadcasters represents

many of the parties that will most directly be affected by any actions

we take in this proceeding; (2) it has shown good cause why a sixty-day

extension will enable it to provide more well-informed comments; and

(3) no party will be prejudiced by this extension. Rather, all may make

good use of this added time to prepare and present well-supported

comments on these important issues.

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\2\ 47 CFR 1.46.

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4. This action is taken pursuant to the authority found in Sections

4(i) and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47

U.S.C. 154(i) and 303(r), and sections 204(b), 0.283, and 1.45 of the

Commission's Rules.

Federal Communications Commission.

Roy J. Stewart,

Chief, Mass Media Bureau.

[FR Doc. 98-12668 Filed 5-13-98; 8:45 am]

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