01-31560. Digital Television Broadcast Service; Charleston, SC

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

The Commission requests comments on a petition filed by Media General Communications, Inc., licensee of station WCBD-TV, NTSC channel 2, Charleston, South Carolina, requesting the substitution of DTV channel 50 for station WCBD-TV's assigned DTV channel 59. DTV Channel 50 can be allotted to Charleston, South Carolina, in compliance with the principle community coverage requirements of Section 73.625(a) at reference coordinates 32-56-24 N. and 79-41-45 W. As requested, we propose to allot DTV Channel 50 to Charleston with a power of 1000 and a height above average terrain (HAAT) of 561 meters.

DATES:

Comments must be filed on or before February 4, 2002, and reply comments on or before February 19, 2002.

ADDRESSES:

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, or its counsel or consultant, as follows: John R. Feore, Jr., Dow, Lohnes & Albertson, PLLC, 1200 New Hampshire Avenue, NW., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036-6802 (Counsel for Media General Communications, Inc.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Pam Blumenthal, Mass Media Bureau, [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This is a synopsis of the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rule Making, MM Docket No. 01-335, adopted December 13, 2001, and released December 14, 2001. The full text of this document is available for public inspection and copying during regular business hours in the FCC Reference Information Center, Portals II, 445 12th Street, SW., Room CY-A257, Washington, DC. 20554. This document may also be purchased from the Commission's duplicating contractor, 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].

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

Television, Digital television broadcasting.

For the reasons discussed in the preamble, the Federal Communications Commission proposes to amend 47 CFR part 73 as follows:

PART 73—TELEVISION BROADCAST SERVICES

1. The authority citation for part 73 continues to read as follows:

Authority: 47 U.S.C. 154, 303, 334, and 336.

§ 73.622

[Amended]

2. Section 73.622(b), the Table of Digital Television Allotments under South Carolina is amended by removing DTV Channel 59 and adding DTV Channel 50 at Charleston.

Federal Communications Commission.

Barbara A. Kreisman,

Chief, Video Services Division, Mass Media Bureau.