2022-07644. Television Broadcasting Services Vernon, Alabama

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Final rule.

SUMMARY:

On January 20, 2022, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ( NPRM ) in response to a petition for rulemaking filed by Alabama Educational Television Commission (Petitioner or AETC), requesting the allotment of reserved noncommercial educational channel *4 to Vernon, Alabama, in the Table of Allotments as the community's first local service. For the reasons set forth in the Report and Order referenced below, the Bureau amends the Federal Communications Commission (Commission or FCC) regulations to allot channel *4 at Vernon. The newly allotted channel will be authorized pursuant to the Commission's application and selection procedures for reserved noncommercial educational television stations.

DATES:

Effective May 12, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Joyce Bernstein, Media Bureau, at [phone] or [e-mail] .

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The proposed rule was published at 87 FR 6100 on February 3, 2022. The Petitioner filed comments in support of the petition, as required by the Commission's rules, reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel *4 and if authorized, to build a station promptly. A number of elected officials also filed comments in support of AETC's allotment request. We believe the public interest would be served by allotting channel *4 at Vernon, Alabama. Vernon (population 5,551) clearly qualifies for community of license status for allotment purposes. In addition, the proposal would result in a first local service to Vernon under the Commission's second allotment priority. Moreover, the allotment is consistent with the minimum geographic spacing requirements for new television allotments in the Commission's rules, and the allotment point complies with the rules as the entire community of Vernon is encompassed by the 35 dBμ contour.

This is a synopsis of the Commission's Report and Order, MB Docket No. 22-30; RM-11916; DA 22-358, adopted April 4, 2022, and released April 4, 2022. The full text of this document is available for download at https://www.fcc.gov/​edocs . To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an email to [e-mail] or call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 (voice), 202-418-0432 (tty).

This document does not contain information collection requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. In addition, therefore, it does not contain any proposed information collection burden “for small business concerns with fewer than 25 employees,” pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4). Provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, do not apply to this proceeding.

The Commission will send a copy of the Report and Order in a report to be sent to Congress and the Government Accountability Office pursuant to the Congressional Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A).

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

• Television

Federal Communications Commission.

Thomas Horan,

Chief of Staff, Media Bureau.

Final Rule

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal Communications Commission amends 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, 155, 301, 303, 307, 309, 310, 334, 336, 339.

2. In § 73.622(j), amend the Table of Allotments, under Alabama, by adding an entry for Vernon in alphabetical order to read as follows:

§ 73.622

Digital television table of allotments.

* * * * *

(j) * * *

Community	Channel No.
ALABAMA
*    *    *    *    *
Vernon	*4
*    *    *    *    *