02-20595. Radio Broadcasting Services; Bishopville and Lamar, SC

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

This document requests comments on a petition for rule making filed on behalf of Miller Communications, Inc., licensee of Station WKHT(FM), Channel 229A, Bishopville, South Carolina, requesting the reallotment of Channel 229A from Bishopville to Lamar, South Carolina, 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 229A at Lamar, South Carolina, are 34-07-10 NL and 80-08-49 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 229A at Lamar, South Carolina, or require the petitioner to demonstrate the availability of an additional equivalent class channel.

DATES:

Comments must be filed on or before September 23, 2002, and reply comments on or before October 8, 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: Gary S. Smithwick, Esq., Smithwick & Belendiuk, P.C.; 5028 Wisconsin Avenue, NW., Suite 301; Washington, DC 20016.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

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

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This is a synopsis of the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rule Making, MB Docket No. 02-197, adopted July 17, 2002, and released August 2, 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
• 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 South Carolina, is amended by adding Lamar, Channel 229A, and removing Bishopville, Channel 229A.

Federal Communications Commission.

John A. Karousos,

Assistant Chief, Audio Division, Media Bureau.