01-4803. Television Broadcast Service; Marshfield, MO

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

The Commission requests comments on a petition filed by Pelican Broadcasting Company, Inc. requesting the allotment of TV channel 56 to Marshfield, Missouri, as the community first local commercial television service. Channel 56 can be allotted to Marshfield consistent with Section 73.623(d) of the Commission's Rules with a minus offset at coordinates 37-11-40 N. and 92-56-04 W. We will not accept competing expressions of interest in the use of television channel 56- at Marshfield or counterproposals in the same or nearby communities. See Public Notice released on November 22, 1999, DA 99-2605.

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: Bruce A. Eisen, Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Hays & Handler, LLP, 901 15th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20005-2327 (Counsel for Pelican Broadcasting Company, Inc.).

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. 01-52, adopted February 20, 2001, and released February 21, 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 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.

§ 73.606

[Amended]

2. § 73.606(b), the Table of Television Allotments under Missouri is amended by adding Marshfield, Channel 56-.

Federal Communications Commission.

Barbara A. Kreisman,

Chief, Video Services Division, Mass Media Bureau.