Revision of Broadcast and Cable EEO Rules and Policies

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Parts 0, 73, and 76

[MM Docket No. 98-204, DA 99-105]

Revision of Broadcast and Cable EEO Rules and Policies

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment and reply comment period.

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SUMMARY: In Review of the Commission's Broadcast and Cable Equal

Employment Opportunity Rules and Policies, DA 99-105, released January

5, 1999, the Commission grants a motion for extension of time. The

National Association of Broadcasters requests the extension of time in

order that its Board of Directors have sufficient time, during their

board meeting in mid-January, to review the issues and proposals raised

in the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) and,

thereafter to prepare comments concerning these issues and proposals.

The Minority Media and Telecommunications Council expressed support for

this request in a letter to the Commission. The Commission believes

that the public interest would be served by an extension of the comment

period in this proceeding because it would enable commenters to file

comprehensive comments on the important issues raised in the NPRM.

DATES: Comments due February 18, 1999; reply comments due March 23,

1999.

ADDRESSES: Federal Communications Commission, Office of the Secretary,

445 12th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20554.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Hope G. Cooper, Mass Media Bureau, Enforcement Division. (202) 418-

1450.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

1. On November 20, 1998, the Commission released a Notice of

Proposed Rule Making, MM Docket No. 98-204, 63 FR 66104, December 1,

1998, (NPRM), requesting comment on various proposals concerning the

Commission's broadcast and cable EEO rules and policies. Comment and

reply comment deadlines were established for January 19, 1999, and

February 18, 1999, respectively.

2. On December 17, 1998, the National Association of Broadcasters

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

Comment Deadlines'' (``Motion''). Therein, the NAB requested that we

extend the due dates for the submission of comments and reply comments

in response to the NPRM to February 18, 1999, and March 23, 1999,

respectively. In support of its request, the NAB asserts that the NPRM

raises many important issues and proposals ``that need to be fully

reviewed and discussed by the NAB Board of Directors,'' and that grant

of the extension would allow time for the NAB Board to conduct such a

review and discussion at their January Board Meeting (which occurs

January 9-13, 1999) and, thereafter, ``for NAB staff to prepare

comments consistent with the decisions made by the Board.'' \1\

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\1\ National Association of Broadcasters Motion for Extension of

Time of Comment and Reply Comment Deadlines, filed December 17,

1998, at 1, 2.

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3. On January 4, 1999, the Minority Media and Telecommunications

Council (``MMTC'') sent a letter to the Commission expressing support

for the NAB's Motion. The MMTC stated that ``[o]wing to the extensive

amount of detail requested of commenters [in the NPRM], it would be

virtually impossible [for MMTC] to file comprehensive comments by the

initial due date.'' \2\

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\2\ Letter from David Earl Honig, Executive Director, Minority

Media and Telecommunications Council, to Renee Licht, Deputy Chief

of the Mass Media Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, dated

January 4, 1999, at 1.

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4. We believe the public interest would be served by an extension

of the comment period in this proceeding because it would enable

commenters to file comprehensive comments on the important issues

raised in the NPRM. Accordingly, we will extend the date for filing

comments to February 18, 1999, and extend the date for filing reply

comments to March 23, 1999. We do not contemplate further extensions of

the comment cycle of this proceeding.

5. Accordingly, it is ordered that the Motion for Extension of Time

filed by the National Association of Broadcasters is granted.

6. It is therefore ordered that the dates for filing comments and

reply comments in this proceeding are extended to February 18, 1999,

and March 23, 1999, respectively.

7. This action is taken pursuant to authority found in 4(i) and

303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i)

and 303(r), and 0.204(b), 0.283 and 1.46 of the Commission's Rules, 47

CFR 0.204(b), 0.283 and 1.46.

List of Subjects

47 CFR Part 0

Organization and functions (Government agencies).

47 CFR Part 73

Radio, Equal employment opportunity, Reporting and recordkeeping

requirements, Television.

47 CFR Part 76

Cable television, Equal employment opportunity, Reporting and

recordkeeping requirements.

Federal Communications Commission.

Roy J. Stewart,

Chief, Mass Media Bureau.

[FR Doc. 99-903 Filed 1-13-99; 8:45 am]

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