01-4797. Digital Television Broadcast Service; Panama City, FL

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

The Commission requests comments on a petition filed by WJHG-TV Licensee Corporation, licensee of station WJHG-TV, NTSC channel 7, requesting the substitution of DTV channel 8 for station WJHG-TV's assigned DTV channel 42. DTV Channel 8 can be allotted to Panama City, Florida, in compliance with the principle community coverage requirements of Section 73.625(a) at reference coordinates (30-26-00 N. and 85-24-51 W.). As requested, we propose to allot DTV Channel 8 to Panama City with a power of 27.0 and a height above average terrain (HAAT) of 265 meters.

DATES:

Comments must be filed on or before April 16, 2001, and reply comments on or before May 1, 2001.

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: Robert A. Beizer, Secretary, Gray Communications Systems, Inc., 1201 New York Avenue, NW., Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005-3917 (Petitioner).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Pam Blumenthal, Mass Media Bureau, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This is a synopsis of the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rule Making, MM Docket No. 01-57, adopted February 22, 2001, and released February 23, 2001. The full text of this Commission decision is available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center, 445 12th Street, SW., Washington, DC. The complete text of this decision may also be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, International Transcription Services, Inc., [phone], 1231 20th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20036.

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 Rule Making 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
• Digital television broadcasting

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

PART 73—TELEVISION BROADCAST SERVICES

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

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

§ 73.622

[Amended]

2. Section 73.622(b), the Table of Digital Television Allotments under Florida is amended by removing DTV Channel 42 and adding DTV Channel 8 at Panama City.

Federal Communications Commission.

Barbara A. Kreisman,

Chief, Video Services Division, Mass Media Bureau.