02-8196. Radio Broadcasting Services; De Ridder and Merryville, LA

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

This document requests comments on a petition for rule making filed on behalf of Apex Broadcasting, Inc., licensee of Station KROK(FM), Channel 221C3, De Ridder, Louisiana, requesting the reallotment of Channel 221C3 from De Ridder to Merryville, Louisiana, and modification of its authorization accordingly, pursuant to the provisions of Section 1.420(i) of the Commission's Rules. The coordinates for requested Channel 221C3 at Merryville, Louisiana, are 30-48-35 NL and 93-29-29 WL.

Petitioner's reallotment proposal complies with the provisions of Section 1.420(i) of the Commission's Rules, and therefore, the Commission will not accept competing expressions of interest in the use of Channel 221C3 at Merryville, Louisiana, or require the petitioner to demonstrate the availability of an additional equivalent class channel.

DATES:

Comments must be filed on or before May 6, 2002, and reply comments on or before May 21, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

Secretary, 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's counsel, as follows: Erwin G. Krasnow, Esq.; Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand; 901 15th Street, NW, Suite 700; Washington, DC 20005.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

R. Barthen Gorman, Mass Media Bureau, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This is a synopsis of the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rule Making, MM Docket No. 02-56, adopted March 6, 2002, and released March 15, 2002. The full text of this Commission decision is available for inspection and copying during regular business hours in the FCC's Reference Information Center at Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW, CY-A257, Washington, DC, 20554. This document may also be purchased from the Commission's duplicating contractors, 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].

The 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

• Radio 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.

§ 73.202

[Amended]

2. Section 73.202(b), the Table of FM Allotments under Louisiana, is amended by adding Merryville, Channel 221C3, and removing Channel 221C3 at De Ridder.

Federal Communications Commission.

John A. Karousos,

Chief, Allocations Branch, Policy and Rules Division, Mass Media Bureau.