94-14319. Radio Broadcast Services; Low Power Television Service; Application Acceptance Standard; Four-Letter Call Signs  

  • [Federal Register Volume 59, Number 117 (Monday, June 20, 1994)]
    [Unknown Section]
    [Page 0]
    From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
    [FR Doc No: 94-14319]
    
    
    [[Page Unknown]]
    
    [Federal Register: June 20, 1994]
    
    
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    FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
    
    47 CFR Parts 73 and 74
    
    [MM Docket No. 93-114, FCC 94-120]
    
     
    
    Radio Broadcast Services; Low Power Television Service; 
    Application Acceptance Standard; Four-Letter Call Signs
    
    AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
    
    ACTION: Final rule.
    
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    SUMMARY: The Commission amended its rules governing the low power 
    television (LPTV) service in three respects. First, the Commission 
    relaxed its strict acceptance standard for new and major change 
    applications. Second, the Commission expanded the waiver policy 
    regarding terrain shielding. Third, the Commission will now permit LPTV 
    operators to request four-letter call signs with the suffix ``LP'' 
    rather than the current five-character call signs consisting of letters 
    and numbers. The Commission declined to adopt a proposal to narrow the 
    definition of what constitutes a major LPTV station modification, 
    stating that this issue requires further consideration and will be 
    resolved at a later date. A summary of the Notice of Proposed 
    Rulemaking initiating this proceeding may be found at 58 FR 25,794 
    (April 28, 1993).
    
    EFFECTIVE DATES: The revisions to Secs. 73.3564 and 73.3591 relieve 
    existing restrictions and as such, they are exempt from the effective 
    date requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 
    553(d)(1), and will become effective June 20, 1994. The revisions to 
    Sec. 73.3522 will become effective August 19, 1994. The revisions to 
    Secs. 73.3550, 74.780, 74.783 and to the Commission's terrain shielding 
    policy in the LPTV service will become effective August 19, 1994.
    
    FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
     Keith A. Larson, Mass Media Bureau, Video Services Division, Low Power 
    Television Branch, (202) 632-3894.
    
    SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The following is a synopsis of the 
    Commission's First Report and Order, MM Docket No. 93-114, adopted May 
    19, 1994, and released June 2, 1994. The full text of this decision is 
    available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in 
    the FCC's Reference Center (room 239), 1919 M Street, NW., Washington, 
    DC. The complete text of this decision may also be purchased from the 
    Commission's copy contractors, International Transcription Service, 
    Inc. (202) 857-3800, 2100 M Street, NW., Suite 140, Washington, DC 
    20037.
    
    Synopsis of First Report and Order
    
    Introduction
    
        1. On April 22, 1993, the Commission released its Notice of 
    Proposed Rule Making in MM Docket No. 93-114, 8 FCC Rcd 2770 (1993). In 
    the Notice, the Commission proposed to amend the rules and policies 
    governing the low power television (LPTV) service, which includes LPTV 
    stations and television translator stations. Specifically, we proposed 
    to modify our current standard for acceptance of applications and to 
    expand our waiver policy regarding terrain shielding. We also proposed 
    to permit LPTV operators to use four-letter call signs rather than the 
    current five-character call signs consisting of letters and numbers. 
    These proposals raised little disagreement among commenters and are 
    adopted in this First Report and Order. In addition, the Notice 
    proposed to narrow the definition of what constitutes a major LPTV 
    station modification. That issue generated significantly more diverse 
    comment and requires further consideration. It will be resolved at a 
    later date so as not to delay implementation of the changes we adopt 
    herein.
    
    Application Acceptance Standards
    
        2. In the Notice, the Commission noted that the volume of LPTV 
    applications has decreased and the quality of those submissions has 
    improved as a result of the strict standard requiring that an LPTV 
    applicant be ``complete and sufficient'' (i.e., ``letter perfect'') at 
    the close of an LPTV filing window.\1\ We pointed out that currently, 
    applications that are not letter perfect are returned, forcing 
    applicants to wait until the Commission opens a subsequent filing 
    window to correct their submissions. See 47 CFR 73.3564(a)(2). The 
    Notice concluded that the strict standard has achieved its purpose of 
    encouraging applicants to submit complete and carefully prepared 
    applications, so as to alleviate the LPTV application backlog with 
    which the Commission was faced. We therefore proposed that applications 
    be judged on a ``substantially complete'' basis similar to that used in 
    processing full-power television applications, whereby applications are 
    considered acceptance if they are not patently defective. As an 
    alternative to the substantially complete standard, the Notice 
    suggested a mid-level acceptance standard requiring the application to 
    be more than substantially complete but less than letter perfect.
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        \1\Applications for LPTV construction permits and major changes 
    to existing LPTV facilities are accepted during finite filing 
    windows by the Commission.
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        3. The commenters in this proceeding, who include LPTV licensees, 
    consulting engineers, other broadcasters, law firms and educational 
    institutions, overwhelmingly support adoption of a relaxed standard for 
    acceptance of applications. They agree with the Notice that the letter 
    perfect standard is no longer necessary due to the decreased volume of 
    LPTV applications. They also assert that the letter perfect requirement 
    unfairly forces LPTV applicants filing defective applications to wait 
    to refile in the next filing window, which sometimes does not open for 
    a year. Further, commenters assert that a relaxed standard is more 
    appropriate in
    light of the limited resources of most LPTV applicants.
        4. We will revise our LPTV application acceptance standards and 
    adopt a ``substantially complete'' test. We agree with the overwhelming 
    majority of commenters that the strict acceptance standard is no longer 
    necessary in light of the reduced number of LPTV applications being 
    filed with the Commission and in light of the improved quality of those 
    applications. We are persuaded by the comments and by our processing 
    experience to favor the substantially complete standard over a mid-
    level standard. We do not believe that the substantially complete 
    standard will lead to a lessening of the overall quality of LPTV 
    application submissions, nor significantly delay the authorization of 
    LPTV service. Conversely, this standard will enable the authorization 
    of more stations for each filing window. We believe that this 
    modification of our application acceptance standards will greatly 
    benefit LPTV applicants, many of whom have limited resources. We note 
    that while we will give applicants an opportunity to cure defects in 
    otherwise substantially complete applications, the corrected 
    application must adhere to the Commission's rules and policies. For 
    instance, if an amendment to an application eliminates predicted 
    interference to one station but at the same time introduces 
    interference to another station, the amended application will not be 
    accepted and will be returned. Similarly, an application that is not 
    substantially complete, that is not submitted with the proper fee, or 
    that is not timely filed cannot be cured via subsequent amendment.
        5. The Commission has developed a body of case law over the years 
    governing broadcast applications that were subject to the substantially 
    complete standard.\2\ From these decisions, certain criteria were 
    established, even though each case turned on the particular facts 
    involved. In the cases where applications failed the test, it was found 
    that many sections of the applications were deficient to a significant 
    degree or were omitted entirely, so as to lack sufficient information 
    regarding the adequacy of the proposals vis-a-vis the public 
    interest.\3\ Amendments were allowed to correct errors, unless the 
    application, judged as a whole, was ``so patently violative of the 
    rules as to make its processing a futile gesture.''\4\
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        \2\See generally, Miami STV, Inc., 42 RR 2d 1056 (Broadcast 
    Bureau 1978); KALE, Inc., 56 FCC 2d 1033 (1975); Trustees of 
    Dartmouth College, 29 RR 2d 59 (1973); Central Florida Enterprises, 
    Inc., 22 FCC 2d 260 (1970). Prior to the adoption of the stricter 
    LPTV and FM standards, all broadcast applications were processed 
    under the substantially complete standard.
        \3\See National Business Network, 82 FCC 2d 220 (1978). For 
    instance, in Henry M. Lesher, 67 FCC 2d 278 (1977), an FM 
    application lacked substantial portions of the legal and financial 
    sections and almost all of the community ascertainment information. 
    Characterizing the omissions as ``glaring'' and ``numerous,'' the 
    Commission stated that they impaired its ability to evaluate the 
    applicant's qualifications under the public interest standard, and 
    that conclusion was compelled by the cumulative impact of each 
    uncompleted section. In Voice of Information, 27 FCC 2d 723 (1971), 
    an FM application was judged on the basis of ``degree of 
    completeness'' and rejected because it omitted the entire 
    engineering and EEO sections and significant portions of the legal, 
    financial and ascertainment sections. The Commission concluded that 
    it lacked ``sufficient information to reach many of the necessary 
    determinations regarding the adequacy of the proposal * * *'' Id. at 
    725. In George E. Oleson, 5 FCC 2d 58 (1966), recon. denied, 6 FCC 
    2d 5021 (1967), an AM application was ``incomplete in many 
    respects'' because it lacked significant portions of the financial, 
    ascertainment, program service and engineering sections. In Rancocas 
    Valley Broadcasting Co., Inc., 95 FCC 2d 429 (1983), an AM 
    application lacked a proper signature, six of ten answers concerning 
    parties to the proposal, and a financial certification. The 
    Commission characterized the missing data as essential to a 
    threshold showing, given their quantity and significance.
        \4\K & L Communications, Inc., 70 FCC 2d 1987, 1989 (1979) (TV 
    application found acceptable despite financial and minor EEO 
    omissions); see also National Business Network, supra, note 3 (TV 
    application acceptable despite defects in some financial 
    information, ascertainment and description of STV proposal); Racine 
    Telecasting Co., 51 RR 2d 1205 (1985) (TV application acceptable 
    despite seven omissions in the engineering section); Communications 
    Gaithersburg, Inc., 60 FCC 2d 537 (1976) (signature defect can be 
    rectified); Anax Broadcasting, Inc., 87 FCC 2d 483 (1981) (TV 
    application acceptable despite incomplete source of funds and 
    contemplation of additional unknown limited partners); Galaxy 
    Broadcasting, Inc., 46 RR 2d 1654 (Broadcast Bureau 1980) (TV 
    application acceptable despite omissions in STV proposal and 
    ascertainment surveys); Focus Broadcasting of the Monterey 
    Peninsula, Inc., 49 RR 2d 1451 (Broadcast Bureau 1981) (TV 
    application acceptable despite failure to document availability of 
    funds); LDA Communications, Inc., 49 RR 2d 1290 (Broadcast Bureau 
    1981) (TV application acceptable despite omission of loan and 
    equipment credit documentation).
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        6. Following these precedents, the staff will consider applications 
    as not substantially complete, and therefore subject to dismissal as 
    patently defective, if they omit all of or large portions of several 
    sections of the application. This test reflects the criteria applied by 
    the Commission in prior cases decided under this standard, while 
    recognizing the differences in the current LPTV application form (FCC 
    Form 346). Additionally, in accordance with longstanding Commission 
    policy, an application found to have been filed without reasonable 
    assurance of site availability will not be considered substantially 
    complete and will be dismissed as patently defective.\5\ It has been 
    the experience of the staff that very few LPTV applications are 
    submitted to the Commission in a condition not meeting this substantial 
    completeness test. The simplified format of the LPTV applicant form, 
    which generally specifies the exact information to be submitted in 
    boxes rather than in narrative exhibits, serves to guide applicants in 
    successfully completing the form.
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        \5\See 62 Broadcasting, Inc., 4 FCC Rcd 1768 (1989); see also 
    South Florida Broadcasting Co., Inc., 99 FCC 2d 840, 842 (Rev. Bd. 
    1984) (``It is elemental that a prospective construction permittee 
    must have, if little else, an antenna site, a technical keystone of 
    the broadcasting operation.'')
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        7. Accordingly, in keeping with the proposals advanced in the 
    Notice, applicants filing substantially complete applications 
    containing defects or omissions will be given an opportunity to cure 
    the defects. If the defect prevents the staff from further processing 
    the application, a deficiency letter will be issued and the applicant 
    will have 30 days from the date of that letter to correct the defect. 
    If the defect does not prevent processing, the staff will not send a 
    deficiency letter until it completes pre-acceptance studies on the 
    application or until a subsequent defect prevents further processing, 
    at which time the applicant will be given 30 days to amend. Applicants 
    will be given one opportunity to amend for each deficiency letter 
    received. Applications revised to correct all defects identified by the 
    staff and that do not introduce any new defects will then be listed as 
    ``Accepted for Filing'' in a public notice, either in the form of a 
    lottery announcement notice for mutually-exclusive applications or a 
    ``proposed grant list'' for non-mutually-exclusive applications. Any 
    amendment submitted to correct a defective application must be a minor 
    amendment and must otherwise be acceptable in all respects. See 47 CFR 
    Sec. 73.3572(a). The same policies and procedures that apply before the 
    application is accepted for filing will govern correction of 
    deficiencies identified in the post-acceptance stage. In order to 
    prevent undue processing delays, we will strictly enforce the 30-day 
    period.\6\
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        \6\Extensions of time may be granted if the applicant is able to 
    show good cause why it cannot file its amendment within the 30-day 
    period.
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    Terrain Shielding
    
        8. The Commission's present terrain shielding policy in the LPTV 
    service provides that the Commission will waive its application 
    acceptance standards for predicted interference when it is demonstrated 
    that, due to the existence of intervening terrain, an applicant's 
    proposed operation will not cause interference to another facility.\7\ 
    Consideration of waivers based on terrain shielding is currently 
    limited to LPTV applications that are not mutually-exclusive with other 
    applications submitted during a particular filing window. We proposed 
    in the Notice to broaden the circumstances in which terrain shielding 
    waivers can be used in the authorization of LPTV service. Because the 
    volume of applications is now manageable, we stated that it was 
    administratively feasible to expand the terrain waiver policy to 
    include mutually-exclusive applications. In this regard, we proposed to 
    consider an applicant's terrain shielding showing with respect to a 
    protected broadcast facility, even if that application is mutually-
    exclusive with another timely filed LPTV application(s), allowing the 
    application to be accepted for filing.
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        \7\Commission Policy Regarding Terrain Shielding, 3 FCC Rcd 2664 
    (1988), 53 FR 15557 (May 2, 1988), recon. granted in part, 3 FCC Rcd 
    7105 (Terrain Shielding Policy Statement). See 47 CFR 74.705, 74.707 
    and 74.709 for LPTV application acceptance standards for 
    interference protection.
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        9. Further, the Notice proposed to permit applicants to consider 
    terrain shielding as a basis for resolving situations of mutual 
    exclusivity. Without consideration of terrain, proposed facilities in 
    mutually-exclusive applications, by definition, are predicted to 
    interfere with each other to the extent that not all of them can be 
    granted. Under our proposal, applicants for nearby LPTV facilities 
    using the same channel but separated by terrain obstructions could all 
    be granted, without involvement in the Commission's random selection 
    (i.e., lottery) process. Finally, the Notice proposed to take terrain 
    shielding into account when applicants raise it for the first time in 
    amendments responding to deficiency letters.
        10. No commenter opposes our proposals to expand our waiver policy 
    regarding terrain shielding to mutually-exclusive applicants and to 
    permit applicants to consider terrain shielding as a basis for 
    resolving situations of mutual exclusivity. Commenters support these 
    proposals as a practical approach to acceptance of applications that 
    more realistically reflects a station's actual potential to interfere 
    with another station. Some commenters also propose changes to our 
    existing terrain shielding procedures.\8\
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        \8\In Commission Policy Regarding Terrain Shielding, 3 FCC Rcd 
    7105 (1988), we concluded that case-by-case evaluation of terrain 
    shielding ``affords the administrative flexibility to select from 
    among available prediction models one that applies to the 
    topographic features in each case.'' The existing flexible 
    guidelines have worked well in practice and we see no need to revise 
    them. Moreover, we believe that modifications to our current policy 
    would be at odds with our aim in this proceeding, which is to 
    streamline the LPTV application process. We decline, therefore, to 
    pursue further in this proceeding these suggested modifications to 
    our current LPTV terrain shielding policy.
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        11. We will adopt the proposals advanced in the Notice regarding 
    terrain shielding waivers. We believe that if intervening terrain 
    prevents an LPTV applicant from interfering with other LPTV or full-
    power TV stations or other LPTV facilities proposed in pending 
    applications, the applicant should be permitted to take that situation 
    into account, regardless of whether the application is mutually-
    exclusive with another LPTV application. The proposals we adopt in this 
    proceeding do not affect the nature of applicants' terrain shielding 
    waiver submissions, nor the manner in which the staff evaluates such 
    submissions, as provided in the Commission's LPTV Terrain Shielding 
    Policy Statement. LPTV applicants seeking terrain shielding waivers 
    should continue to follow the existing criteria for demonstrating 
    noninterference based on terrain considerations, i.e., submitting 
    either detailed profiles of the terrain in pertinent directions toward 
    the protected signal contours of potentially affected stations or 
    letters of assent from the licensees of such stations, agreeing that 
    terrain shielding would prevent interference but without surrendering 
    the right to be protected against any actual interference. Also, 
    mutually-exclusive applicants may now use either of these methods to 
    demonstrate that their respective station proposals could co-exist 
    without an interference conflict.\9\ Further, while we strongly urge 
    applicants to fully address applicable terrain shielding conditions at 
    the initial application stage, we will accept a satisfactory terrain 
    shielding showing for the first time in response to a deficiency 
    letter. We believe that this will facilitate the initiation of new or 
    modified LPTV station operations by treating the omission of terrain 
    shielding data like any other error in an otherwise substantially 
    complete application and giving the applicant an opportunity to make 
    appropriate corrections.
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        \9\We reiterate that where two mutually-exclusive applicants 
    choose to resolve the exclusivity by agreeing that interference 
    between their two facilities would not be likely due to the 
    existence of intervening terrain, the parties will be responsible 
    for eliminating any interference that might occur, and the parties 
    are expected to cooperate fully to that end. See Notice at 2772.
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        12. In adopting the LPTV terrain shielding proposals in the Notice, 
    we are simply removing administrative barriers that were necessary when 
    the LPTV Terrain Shielding Policy Statement was first established. Had 
    the current LPTV application processing climate existed at that time, 
    we would not have found it necessary to limit consideration of terrain 
    shielding among LPTV applicants. In the more than five years since its 
    adoption, our terrain policy has enabled the grant of more than 200 
    LPTV and TV translator stations that otherwise would not have been 
    possible. The policy also has been successful in terms of interference 
    protection. LPTV stations are not permitted to interfere with the 
    regularly viewed signals and programs of full-power TV stations. We 
    know of no instance in which the grant of a terrain shielding waiver in 
    the LPTV service has resulted in interference to the reception of 
    another broadcast facility. Thus, our broadening of eligible LPTV 
    applicants for terrain shielding waivers should not increase the 
    likelihood that LPTV stations will cause interference to the reception 
    of full-power TV stations.
    
    Call Signs
    
        13. In the Notice, we proposed to amend our rules to permit LPTV 
    stations to request four-letter call signs rather than the five-
    character alpha-numeric call signs that are currently assigned. We 
    stated our belief that such a modification may be competitively 
    beneficial to the LPTV industry and may reduce confusion to viewers, 
    who are accustomed to four-letter call signs. We proposed to append a 
    distinctive suffix such as ``LP'' to any LPTV four-letter call sign to 
    avoid confusion with full-power television stations.
        14. The Notice presented two options for assigning four-letter call 
    signs. Under the first option, four-letter call signs would be 
    permitted only for LPTV stations that meet certain threshold 
    requirements, including a minimum number of hours of operation and a 
    given amount of locally originated programming, as well as other 
    requirements currently imposed on full-power stations such as the 
    multiple ownership, children's programming, main studio and public file 
    requirements. Alternatively, the second option would permit all LPTV 
    stations to request four-letter call signs upon applying for a license. 
    We stated our inclination to favor the second option.
        15. No commenter opposes permitting LPTV stations to use four-
    letter call signs, and all parties specifying a preference prefer the 
    second option. Commenters contend that four-letter call signs will 
    facilitate marketing and will be easier to include in ratings books and 
    ratings surveys. They also argue that four-letter call signs will 
    alleviate public confusion regarding the nature of LPTV stations; they 
    submit that the current call signs can lead the public to mistake LPTV 
    stations for amateur radio operations.
        16. Most commenters, primarily LPTV operators, oppose the adoption 
    of an ``LP'' suffix as unnecessarily segregating LPTV stations from 
    full-power television stations. They analogize that licensees in 
    different broadcast services use four-letter call signs without any 
    suffix requirement. For example, they note, a Class A FM station is not 
    designated any differently from a Class C FM station, nor do AM 
    daytimers have to distinguish themselves from full-time AM stations. 
    Some of these commenters suggest that if the Commission does require a 
    suffix, the suffix should be ``CT'' (for ``community television''), 
    ``TX'' (as used in the FCC TV engineering database), or ``TV.''
        17. Another area in which some commenters differ with the Notice 
    deals with when an LPTV station should be eligible to request a four-
    letter call sign. The Notice proposed to award four-letter call signs 
    at the time the LPTV license is applied for rather than at the 
    construction permit stage. Several commenters contend that early 
    assignment of a four-letter call sign will allow the LPTV station to 
    more effectively market itself to the public.
        18. All initial construction permits for LPTV stations will 
    continue to be issued with a five-character alpha-numeric call sign. 
    However, we will permit any LPTV station that so chooses to request a 
    four-letter call sign, without threshold operating requirements, after 
    receiving its construction permit.\10\ We stated our belief in the 
    Notice that only licensed LPTV stations should be able to apply for 
    four-letter call signs because many LPTV construction permits never 
    become operational. We recognize commenters' concerns, however, that 
    LPTV operators need to have four-letter call signs as early as possible 
    to effectively market their stations to the public. One commenter 
    suggests that an LPTV station be permitted to apply for a four-letter 
    call sign at any time after issuance of the initial construction permit 
    if the request is accompanied by a certification that a firm equipment 
    order has been placed or that physical construction is underway at the 
    transmitter site. We believe that this limited restriction is not 
    unreasonable in that it will not unduly burden LPTV permittees and will 
    promote efficient use of Commission resources. Accordingly, a permittee 
    requesting a four-letter call sign must include with that request a 
    certification that it has placed a firm equipment order, which includes 
    a down payment for such major components as a transmitter or a 
    transmitting antenna, that physical construction is underway at the 
    transmitter site or that the station has been constructed. In addition, 
    permittees, as well as LPTV licensees requesting a four-letter call 
    sign, must also submit the drug certification statement required by 
    Section 1.2002 of the Commission's Rules. By a later public notice, a 
    schedule will be established by which licensees and permittees will be 
    able to apply for four-letter call signs. Those stations in operation 
    for the longest period of time will have the opportunity to apply 
    first.\11\
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        \10\All initial LPTV construction permits will be issued with a 
    five-character LPTV call sign. TV translator stations appear to have 
    no need for four-letter call signs and therefore will not be 
    eligible to request them.
        \11\There are now 1,400 licensed LPTV stations and an additional 
    1,300 outstanding LPTV construction permits, which represent a 
    potentially large number of requests for modified call signs. 
    Accordingly, we believe that a phased implementation of the new LPTV 
    call sign policy is necessary to ensure expeditious handling of call 
    sign requests and the avoidance of delays. A fair and flexible means 
    of accomplishing this is first to accept requests from operators of 
    licensed stations on the basis of years of operation. Once all 
    station licensees have been afforded an opportunity to request a 
    four-letter call sign, the opportunity will be extended to LPTV 
    permittees. The certification requirement will effectively enable 
    the Commission to award four-letter call signs to those permittees 
    most likely to construct and operate their stations.
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        19. All LPTV four-letter call signs will include a suffix of ``-
    LP,'' (e.g., ``WXYZ-LP''). We do not agree that the suffix will unduly 
    prejudice LPTV stations, and we believe that such a suffix is necessary 
    to distinguish LPTV stations from full-power television stations so as 
    to guard against public confusion. The commenters' comparison of the 
    relationship between LPTV and full-power stations to that of different 
    types of stations in other broadcast services is inapposite. Different 
    classes of FM stations are all regulated as part of the FM service, and 
    different classes of AM stations are all regulated under the AM 
    service. LPTV stations, however, are regulated as a distinct broadcast 
    service from full-power television stations. As such, they are not 
    constrained to follow rules applicable to full-power stations such as 
    multiple ownership restrictions, children's programming rules, the 
    prime time access rule, local public file requirements and main studio 
    requirements.
        Moreover, they operate on a secondary, non-interference basis. We 
    believe that the distinctive suffix ``-LP'' is more appropriate than 
    ``TV,'' ``CT'' or other suggestions because it best reflects the 
    longstanding denomination of the service and would not introduce new 
    and possibly confusing terminology.
        20. As we proposed in the Notice, requests for four-letter call 
    signs will be handled under the practices detailed in Sec. 73.3550 of 
    the Commission's Rules.\12\ An LPTV operator may not request a call 
    sign used by another broadcast station unless the stations are commonly 
    owned, or unless the LPTV operator has the other station's written 
    consent. Also in keeping with the Notice, where a call sign is 
    requested by more than one party, the first operator to file its 
    request with the Commission will prevail. In the case of identical 
    requests filed on the same day, the call letters will be assigned to 
    the station with the longest continuous record of broadcasting 
    operation under substantially unchanged ownership and control. We also 
    adopt the proposal from commenters that a full-power television station 
    will prevail in the situation where a full-power station and an LPTV 
    station apply for the same call sign on the same day. Similarly, an AM 
    or FM radio stations will prevail over an LPTV station applying for the 
    same call sign on the same day.
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        \12\Requests for modified call sign assignments can be made by 
    letter to the Commission in accord with Sec. 73.3550.
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    Administrative Matters
    
    Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
    
        21. Pursuant to the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, the 
    Commission has prepared a Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis for 
    this item as follows.
    I. Need for and Purpose of this Action
        22. This action is taken to relax the Commission's standards 
    regarding acceptance of applications for stations in the low power 
    television (LPTV) service, and to permit LPTV stations to request four-
    letter call signs.
    II. Summary of Issues Raised by the Public Comments in Response to the 
    Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis--None.
    III. Significant Alternatives Considered and Rejected
        23. The Commission considered a lesser relaxation of the 
    application acceptance standards. The Commission also considered not 
    allowing LPTV operators to apply for four-letter call signs until after 
    they are licensed.
        24. The Secretary shall send a copy of this Report and Order, 
    including the Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis, to the Chief 
    Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business Administration in accordance 
    with paragraph 603(a) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (Pub. L. No. 
    96-354, 94 Stat. 1164, 4 U.S.C. 601 et seq. (1981)).
    
    Ordering Clause
    
        25. It is therefore ordered that pursuant to the authority 
    contained in Sections 4(i) and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 
    1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 154(i), 303(r), the Commission's policy 
    changes set forth herein are adopted, and Secs. 73.3522, 73.3550, 
    73.3564, 73.3591, 74.780 and 74.783 of the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR 
    73.3522, 73.3550, 73.3564, 73.3591, 74.780 and 74.783, are amended as 
    set forth below. The revisions to Secs. 73.3564 and 73.3591 relieve 
    existing restrictions. As such, they are exempt from the effective date 
    requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1), 
    and will become effective upon publication in the Federal Register. The 
    revisions to Sec. 73.3522 will become effective 60 days after 
    publication in the Federal Register. The revisions to Secs. 73.3550, 
    74.780, 74.783 and to the Commission's terrain shielding policy in the 
    LPTV service will become effective 60 days after they are published in 
    the Federal Register and subject to approval by the Office of 
    Management and Budget.
    
    List of Subjects
    
    47 CFR Part 73
    
        Television broadcasting.
    
    47 CFR Part 74
    
        Television broadcasting.
    
    Federal Communications Commission.
    William F. Caton,
    Acting Secretary.
    
    Rule Changes
    
        Parts 73 and 74 of Title 47 of the Code of Federal Regulations are 
    amended 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.
    
        2. Section 73.3522 is amended by revising paragraph (a)(3) to read 
    as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 73.3522  Amendment of applications.
    
        (a) * * *
        (3) Subject to the provisions of Secs. 73.3525, 73.3572 and 
    73.3580, any application for a low power TV, TV translator or TV 
    booster station may be amended as a matter of right during the 
    application window filing period pursuant to Sec. 73.3564(d). If it is 
    determined that a low power TV, TV translator or TV booster application 
    is substantially complete but contains some defect(s) or omission(s), a 
    deficiency letter will be issued affording the applicant 30 days to 
    correct the defect.
    * * * * *
        3. Section 73.3550 is amended by revising paragraphs (b), (f), (h), 
    (j) and (n), as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 73.3550  Requests for new or modified call sign assignments.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) No request for a new call sign assignment will be accepted from 
    an applicant for a new station until the FCC has granted a construction 
    permit. Failure by the permittee of a new station to request the 
    assignment of a specific call sign within 30 days of grant of the 
    construction permit will result in the FCC, on its own motion, 
    assigning an appropriate call sign. All initial construction permits 
    for low power TV stations will be issued with a five-character low 
    power TV call sign.
    * * * * *
        (f) Only four-letter call signs (plus an LP suffix or FM or TV 
    suffixes, if used) will be assigned. However, subject to the other 
    provisions of this section, a call sign of a station may be conformed 
    to a commonly owned station holding a three-letter call assignment 
    (plus FM, TV or LP suffixes, if used).
    * * * * *
        (h) Call signs are assigned on a ``first-come-first-served'' basis. 
    Receipt by the FCC of a request for an available call sign blocks the 
    acceptance of competing requests until the first received request is 
    processed to completion. In the case of requests for the same call sign 
    being received on the same date at the FCC, the assignment (if 
    otherwise grantable) will be made to the station having the longest 
    continuous record of broadcasting operation under substantially 
    unchanged ownership and control. However, involuntary and pro forma 
    assignments will not be taken into account in determining priority. If 
    a low-power TV operator and an AM, FM or full-power TV operator apply 
    for the same call sign on the same date at the FCC, the AM, FM or full-
    power TV operator will prevail.
    
        Note: The provisions of paragraph (h) of this section shall not 
    apply to a licensee requesting a transfer to another frequency where 
    the existing and new facilities serve substantially the same area 
    (i.e., where at least one of the stations serves both communities of 
    license).
    * * * * *
        (j) The provisions of this section shall not apply to International 
    broadcast stations, to stations authorized under Part 74 of the rules 
    (except as provided in Sec. 74.783 of this chapter), nor to FM or TV 
    stations seeking to modify an existing call sign only to the extent of 
    adding or deleting an ``-FM'' or ``-TV'' suffix. The latter additions 
    and deletions may be effective upon notification to the Commission.
    * * * * *
        (n) Where a requested call sign, without the ``-FM,'' ``-TV'' or 
    ``-LP'' suffix, would conform to the call sign of any other non-
    commonly owned station(s) operating in a different service, the 
    applicant must obtain and submit with the application for the call sign 
    the written consent of the licensee(s) of such stations.
        4. Section 73.3564 is amended by revising the second sentence of 
    introductory paragraph (a) and paragraph (a)(2) (the note following 
    paragraph (a)(2) is unchanged) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 73.3564  Acceptance of applications.
    
        (a) * * * Except for non-reserved band FM (except for Class D) 
    applications, those found to be complete or substantially complete are 
    accepted for filing and are given file numbers.* * *
    * * * * *
        (2) The application must not omit more than 3 of the second tier 
    items specified in appendix C, Report and Order, MM Docket No. 91-347, 
    FCC 92-328, 7 FCC Rcd 5074 (1992). Applications found not to meet 
    minimum filing requirements will be returned to the applicant. 
    Applications found to meet minimum filing requirements but that contain 
    deficiencies in tender and/or acceptance information shall be given an 
    opportunity for corrective amendment pursuant to Sec. 73.3522. 
    Applications found to be substantially complete and in accordance with 
    the Commission's core legal and technical requirements will be accepted 
    for filing. Applications with uncorrected tender and/or acceptance 
    defects remaining after the opportunity for corrective amendment will 
    be dismissed with no further opportunity for corrective amendment. In 
    the case of low power TV, TV translator and TV booster applications, 
    those found to be substantially complete will be listed on a Commission 
    public notice as tendered for filing and given file numbers. Those that 
    are not substantially complete will be returned to the applicant. If it 
    is determined that a low power TV, TV translator or TV booster 
    application is substantially complete but contains some defect(s) or 
    omission(s), a deficiency letter will be issued affording the applicant 
    30 days to correct the defect. If the defect is not corrected within 30 
    days of the date on the deficiency letter, the application will be 
    returned with no further opportunity to amend.
    * * * * *
        5. Section 73.3591 is amended by revising paragraph (b) 
    introductory text to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 73.3591  Grants without hearing.
    
    * * * * *
        (b) In making its determinations pursuant to the provisions of 
    paragraph (a) of this section, the FCC will not consider any other 
    application, or any application if amended so as to require a new file 
    number, as being mutually exclusive or in conflict with the application 
    under consideration unless such other application was substantially 
    complete, and tendered for filing by:
    * * * * *
    
    PART 74--EXPERIMENTAL, AUXILIARY, AND SPECIAL BROADCAST AND OTHER 
    PROGRAM DISTRIBUTIONAL SERVICES
    
        1. The authority citation for Part 74 continues to read as follows:
    
        Authority: Secs. 4, 303, 48 Stat. 1066, as amended, 1082, as 
    amended; 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, unless otherwise noted. Interpret or 
    apply secs. 301, 303, 307, 48 Stat. 1081, 1082, as amended, 1083, as 
    amended; 47 U.S.C. 301, 303, 307.
    
    
    Sec. 74.780  [Amended]
    
        2. Section 74.780 is amended by adding the reference 
    ``Sec. 73.3550--Requests for new or modified call sign assignments.'' 
    after the reference to Sec. 73.3545 and before the reference to 
    Sec. 73.3561.
        3. Section 74.783 is amended by redesignating paragraph (e) as 
    paragraph (f) and adding new paragraph (e) to read as follows:
    
    
    Sec. 74.783  Station identification.
    
    * * * * *
        (e) Low power TV permittees or licensees may request that they be 
    assigned four-letter call signs in lieu of the five-character alpha-
    numeric call signs described in paragraph (d) of this section. Parties 
    requesting four-letter call signs are to follow the procedures 
    delineated in Sec. 73.3550. Such four-letter call signs shall begin 
    with K or W; stations West of the Mississippi River will be assigned an 
    initial letter K and stations east of the Mississippi River will be 
    assigned an initial letter W. The four-letter call sign will be 
    followed by the suffix ``-LP.'' A party holding a low power TV 
    construction permit who requests a four-letter call sign must file with 
    that request a certification that the station has been constructed, 
    that physical construction is underway at the transmitter site or that 
    a firm equipment order has been placed.
    * * * * *
    [FR Doc. 94-14319 Filed 6-17-94; 8:45 am]
    BILLING CODE 6712-01-M
    
    
    

Document Information

Effective Date:
6/20/1994
Published:
06/20/1994
Department:
Federal Communications Commission
Entry Type:
Uncategorized Document
Action:
Final rule.
Document Number:
94-14319
Dates:
The revisions to Secs. 73.3564 and 73.3591 relieve existing restrictions and as such, they are exempt from the effective date requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 553(d)(1), and will become effective June 20, 1994. The revisions to Sec. 73.3522 will become effective August 19, 1994. The revisions to Secs. 73.3550, 74.780, 74.783 and to the Commission's terrain shielding policy in the LPTV service will become effective August 19, 1994.
Pages:
0-0 (1 pages)
Docket Numbers:
Federal Register: June 20, 1994, MM Docket No. 93-114, FCC 94-120
CFR: (7)
47 CFR 73.3522
47 CFR 73.3550
47 CFR 73.3564
47 CFR 73.3591
47 CFR 73.3561
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