[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 138 (Wednesday, July 17, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 37240-37241]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-18077]
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[[Page 37241]]
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
47 CFR Parts 1 and 73
[MM Docket No. 96-16, DA 96-1033]
Revision of Broadcast EEO Policies
AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.
ACTION: Proposed rule; extension of comment and reply comment period.
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SUMMARY: In Streamlining Broadcast EEO Rules and Policies, DA 96-1033,
released June 26, 1996, (Streamlining), the Commission grants a motion
for extension of time concerning the Commission's Order and Notice of
Proposed Rule Making, MM Docket No. 96-16, (NPRM). A group of
organizations request the extension of time due to, among other things,
staff shortages. The Commission finds that the public interest favors
grant of the motion for extension of time for filing comments, as well
as a corresponding extension of time for filing reply comments.
DATES: Initial comments due July 11, 1996; reply comments due August
12, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission,
Washington, D.C. 20554.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Hope G. Cooper, Mass Media Bureau,
Enforcement Division. (202) 418-1450.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Adopted: June 26, 1996.
Released: June 26, 1996.
Comment Date: July 11, 1996.
Reply Comment Date: August 12, 1996.
1. On February 8, 1996, the Commission adopted an Order and Notice
of Proposed Rule Making, 11 FCC Rcd 5154 (1996), 61 FR 9964 (March 12,
1996) (NPRM), which vacated the Commission's EEO Forfeiture Policy
Statement and requested comment on proposals for amending the
Commission's EEO Rule and policies. Comment and Reply Comment dates
were established for April 30, 1996, and May 30, 1996, respectively.
2. On April 12, 1996, twenty organizations, including the Minority
Media and Telecommunications Council (hereinafter ``Petitioners''),
filed a Motion for Extension of Time to file comments in response to
the above-captioned proceeding.1 On April 26, 1996, the Commission
granted the Petitioners' request for extension of time.2 The date
for filing comments was extended to July 1, 1996, and the date for
filing reply comments was extended to July 31, 1996.
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\1\ See National Council of Churches et al., Petition For
Reconsideration and Clarification, MM Docket No. 96-16, filed April
11, 1996, at 1.
\2\ FCC 96-198 (released: April 26, 1996), 61 FR 25183 (May 20,
1996).
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3. On June 20, 1996, Petitioners filed a Motion for Further
Extension of Time. Therein, Petitioners request that we extend further
the date for submission of comments in response to the NPRM by ten
days, until July 11, 1996. Petitioners do not seek an extension of the
reply comment deadline. In support of their request, petitioners state
that they are conducting ``very extensive research on broadcast
stations' EEO practices, in order to provide the Commission and the
other parties with a useful database for evaluation of the Commission's
proposals.'' 3 They assert that due to, among other things, staff
shortages, ``it is physically impossible to complete this task by July
1.'' 4
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\3\ Minority Media and Telecommunications Council et al., Motion
For Further Extension of Time, MM Docket No. 96-16, filed June 20,
1996, at 1.
\4\ Id. at 2.
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4. It is Commission policy that extensions of time not be routinely
granted. See Section 1.46(a) of the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR Section
1.46(a). We believe, however, that the public interest favors grant of
the request for extension of time for filing comments in this
proceeding. In addition, we believe that the public interest favors a
corresponding extension of time for filing reply comments. Accordingly,
we will extend the date for filing comments to July 11, 1996, and
extend the date for filing reply comments to August 12, 1996.
5. Accordingly, it is ordered that the Motion for Extension of Time
filed by Petitioners is granted and that the Commission, on its own
motion, also extends the time for filing reply comments.
6. It is therefore ordered that the dates for filing comments and
reply comments in this proceeding ARE EXTENDED to July 11, 1996, and
August 12, 1996, respectively.
7. This action is taken pursuant to authority found in Sections
4(i) and 303(r) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47
U.S.C. Sections 4(i) and 303(r), and Sections 0.204(b), 0.283 and 1.46
of the Commission's Rules, 47 CFR Sections 0.204(b), 0.283 and 1.46.
Federal Communications Commission.
Roy J. Stewart,
Chief, Mass Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 96-18077 Filed 7-16-96; 8:45 am]
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