Report No. MM 95-55                                                   MASS MEDIA ACTION            July 7, 1995
     
                   FCC GRANTS ITFS APPLICATION IN ARITON AND 
                  DOTHAN, AL TO DOTHAN CITY BOARD OF EDUCATION
                                        
         The Commission granted the construction permit and license in the
     Instructional Television Fixed Service (ITFS) on Channels D1-D4 in Ariton and
     Dothan, AL to Dothan City Board of Education (Dothan City); and denied the
     application filed by Henry County Board of Education (Henry).
     
         In the cases of mutually exclusive applications, where applicants are competing
     for the same or adjacent channels in the same geographic area, each applications is
     reviewed pursuant to our comparative process.  Under this comparative selection
     process, the applicants are awarded points based on the following criteria: 
     
         Localism: Dothan City and Henry are entitled to four points for being
     educational institutions proposing to serve the formal educational needs of their
     enrolled students.  Accreditation: Both applications are entitled to three points because
     they are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.  Four
     Channel Limitation: Neither applicant is the current license of, or has filed
     applications for, additional ITFS channels in its proposed service area.  Therefore,
     each applicant is entitled to two points for remaining with the four-channel limitation. 
     Instructional Programming: Henry's program grid and illustrative schedule propose an
     average of 24.375 hours of formal educationsal programming per channel per week. 
     Dothan City's grid and schedule propose an average of 21 hours of formal educational
     programming per channel per week.  Thus, Dothan City and Henry are entitled to one
     programming merit point apiece.  E- and F- Channel Group Relocation: Neither
     applicant is the current licensee of an E or F channel seeking to relocate to other
     channels.  Therefore, neither applicant is entitled to the one point for such applicants. 
     
         
     
     
     
                                     (over)
     
     
     
     
     
                                     - 2 -
     
         Dothan City and Henry are entitled to a total of ten points.  When the
     comparative procedure results in a tie among two or more applicants, the parties are
     given 30 days from notification to negotiate an agreement regarding division of the
     use of the channels.  If no agreement is reached and advanced to the Commission
     within that time, the tentative selectee is determined through the tie-breaker
     mechanism.  This mechanism is based upon the submission by each applicant of the
     number of students at its proposed receive sites who are formally enrolled in classes
     for credit for an academic degree or diploma, or a legally required certification or
     license.  
     
         Dothan City provided documentation showing that a total of 21,832 students
     will be served at its receive sites which are located both withing and outside its
     jurisdiction.  Henry claims a total of 14,009 students will be served at its specified
     receive sites.  However, Henry has not submitted the requisite letters of intended use
     for those receive sites outside its jurisdiction.  Consequently, Henry can be credited
     only with 2,218 students, the number enrolled in the schools within its jurisdiction. 
     Because the number of students credited to Henry, 2,218, is less than 80 percent of
     the number of students credited to Dothan City, 21,832, Dothan City will be
     authorized to operate facilities on Channels D1-D4 in Ariton and Dothan, AL.
     
         Action by the Commission July 5, 1995 by MO&O (FCC 95-274).  Chairman
     Hundt, Commissioners Quello, Barrett, Ness and Chong.
     
                                    - FCC -
     
     News Media contact: Kara Palamaras at (202) 418-0500.
     Mass Media Bureau contact: Dorann Bunkin at (202) 418-1630.