Digital Television Broadcast Service; Calumet, MI

AGENCY:

Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION:

Proposed rule.

SUMMARY:

The Commission requests comments on a petition filed by Scanlan Television, Inc, licensee of Station WBKP-TV, NTSC Channel 5, Calumet, Michigan, requesting the substitution of DTV Channel 11 for DTV Channel 18. DTV Channel 11 can be allotted to Calumet, Michigan, in compliance with the principle community coverage requirements of Section 73.625(a) at reference coordinates (46-26-17 N. and 88-02-58 W.). However, since the community of Calumet is located within 400 kilometers of the U.S.-Canadian border, concurrence by the Canadian government must be obtained for this allotment. As requested, we propose to allot DTV Channel 11 to Calumet with a power of 96.2 and a height above average terrain (HAAT) of 318 meters.

DATES:

Comments must be filed on or before September 21, 2001, and reply comments on or before October 9, 2001.

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: Kevin C. Boyle, Latham & Watkins, 555 Eleventh Street, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004 (Counsel for Scanlan Television, Inc.).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Pam Blumenthal, Mass Media Bureau, (202) 418-1600.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

This is a synopsis of the Commission's Notice of Proposed Rule Making, MM Docket No. 01-166, adopted July 26, 2001, and released July 31, 2001. The full text of this Commission decision is available for inspection and copying during normal business hours in the FCC Reference Center 445 12th Street, S.W., Washington, DC. The complete text of this decision may also be purchased from the Commission's copy contractor, International Transcription Services, Inc., (202) 857-3800, 1231 20th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20036.

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.