03-1837. Television Broadcast Service; Christiansted, VI

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

The Commission requests comments on a petition filed by Virgin Blue, Inc., requesting the substitution of channel 39 for station WCVI-TV's channel 27. TV Channel 39 can be allotted to Christiansted, Virgin Islands with a zero offset consistent with the minimum distance separation requirements of sections 73.610 and 73.698 of the Commission's Rules. The coordinates for channel 39 at Christiansted are 17-44-53 N. and 64-43-40 W.

DATES:

Comments must be filed on or before March 24, 2003, and reply comments on or before April 8, 2003.

ADDRESSES:

Federal Communications Commission, 445 12th Street, SW., Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554. In addition to filing comments with the FCC, interested parties should serve the petitioner, or its counsel or consultant, as follows: Victor A. Gold, President, WCVI-TV, PO Box 24027, Christiansted, Virgin Islands 00824 (petitioner).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Pam Blumenthal, Media Bureau, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This is a synopsis of the Commission's notice of proposed rulemaking, MB Docket No. 03-20, adopted January 22, 2003, and released January 29, 2003. The full text of this document is available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC, 20554. This document may also be purchased from the Commission's duplicating contractor, Qualex International, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-B402, Washington, DC, 20554, telephone [phone], facsimile 202-863-2898, or via-e-mail [e-mail].

Provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 do not apply to this proceeding.

Members of the public should note that from the time a notice of proposed rulemaking is issued until the matter is no longer subject to Commission consideration or court review, all ex parte contacts are prohibited in Commission proceedings, such as this one, which involve channel allotments. See 47 CFR 1.1204(b) for rules governing permissible ex parte contacts.

For information regarding proper filing procedures for comments, see 47 CFR 1.415 and 1.420.

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

• Television broadcasting

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal Communications Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR part 73 as follows:

PART 73—RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES

1. The authority citation for part 73 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 334 and 336.

§ 73.606

[Amended]

2. Section 73.606(b), the Table of Television Allotments under Virgin Islands, is amended by removing channel 27 and adding channel 39 at Christiansted.

Federal Communications Commission.

Barbara A. Kreisman,

Chief, Video Division, Media Bureau.