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If you need the complete document, download the WordPerfect version or Adobe Acrobat version, if available. ***************************************************************** Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, D.C. 20554 ) In the Matter of ) ) Amendment of Section 73.202(b), ) MM Docket No. 98-72 Table of Allotments, ) RM-9265 FM Broadcast Stations. ) (Middlebury and Berlin, Vermont)) NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE MAKING Adopted: May 13, 1998 Released: May 22, 1998 Comment Date: July 13, 1998 Reply Comment Date: July 28, 1998 By the Chief, Allocations Branch: 1. The Commission has before it the petition for rule making filed by Dynamite Radio, Inc. ("petitioner"), licensee of Station WGTK(FM), Channel 265A, Middlebury, Vermont, seeking the substitution of Channel 265C2 for Channel 265A; the reallotment of Channel 265C2 from Middlebury to Berlin; and the modification of Station WGTK's license to specify Berlin as its community of license. Petitioner states it will apply for Channel 265C2 at Berlin, if allotted. 2. Petitioner seeks modification of Station WGTK's license pursuant to the provisions of Section 1.420(i) of the Commission's Rules, which permits the modification of a station's authorization to specify a new community of license without affording other interested parties an opportunity to file competing expressions of interest. In support of its proposal, petitioner states Berlin is a community with a 1990 U.S. Census population of 2,561 persons. It submits the community has its own fire and police departments and local government. Petitioner states that medical services in Berlin are provided by the Central Vermont Medical Center and Berlin Family Health center and the children attend the Berlin Elementary School. Petitioner contends that the reallotment of Channel 265C2 to Berlin will further the goals of Section 307(b) of the Communications Act by providing the community with its first local service. Moreover, WGTK is limited to a power of 3 KW from its present transmitter site, thus petitioner argues that adoption of its proposal will enable Station WGTK to upgrade its facilities and increase its service area. 3. We believe petitioner's proposal warrants consideration since it could provide Berlin with its first local aural transmission service and will not deprive Middlebury of its only existing aural transmission service as it will continue to be served by AM Station WFAD. Nonetheless, since petitioner is an existing station that seeks to relocate its transmitter site there will be areas which will lose service as well as areas which will gain new reception service. With respect to evaluating proposals to change the community of license, the Commission has stated, "The public has a legitimate expectation that existing service will continue, and this expectation is a factor we must weight independently against the service benefits that may result from reallotting a channel from one community to another." See Change of Community MO&O, 5 FCC Rcd at 7097. Therefore, although petitioner has provided some information in its proposal concerning increases in service, it is requested that petitioner provide more specific data regarding areas and populations which will gain and lose service if Channel 265C2 is allotted to Berlin. The study should also indicate the number of reception services which are available within both the loss and gain areas. 4. Channel 265C2 can be allotted to Berlin in compliance with the Commission's minimum distance separation requirements with a site restriction of 11.1 kilometers (6.9 miles) north of the community. The site restriction imposed on Channel 265C2 at Berlin does not obviate the short-spacings to Station CBF-FM, Channel 265C1, Montreal, Quebec, and to Station CBF10F, Channel 266B, Sherbrook, Quebec, Canada. Therefore, we have sought Canadian concurrence in the allotment of Channel 265C2 at Berlin as a specially negotiated short-spaced limited allotment since Berlin is located within 320 kilometers (200 miles) of the U.S.-Canadian border. In accordance with the provisions of Section 1.420(i) of the Commission's Rules, we will not accept competing expressions of interest in the use of Channel 265C2 at Berlin, Vermont. 5. Accordingly, we seek comments on the proposed amendment of the FM Table of Allotments, Section 73.202(b) of the Commission's Rules, for the communities listed below, to read as follows: Channel No. City Present Proposed Middlebury, Vermont 265A -- Berlin, Vermont -- 265C2 6. The Commission's authority to institute rule making proceedings, showings required, cut-off procedures, and filing requirements are contained in the attached Appendix and are incorporated by reference herein. In particular, we note that a showing of continuing interest is required by paragraph 2 of the Appendix before a channel will be allotted. 7. Interested parties may file comments on or before July 13, 1998, and reply comments on or before July 28, 1998, and are advised to read the Appendix for the proper procedures. Comments should be filed with the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC 20554. Additionally, a copy of such comments should be served on the petitioner, or its counsel or consultant, as follows: Anthony A. Neri, President Dynamite Radio, Inc. 74 Exchange Street Middlebury, Vermont 05753 (Petitioner) 8. The Commission has determined that the relevant provisions of the Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980 do not apply to rule making proceedings to amend the FM Table of Allotments, Section 73.202(b) of the Commission's Rules. See Certification That Sections 603 and 604 of the Regulatory Flexibility Act Do Not Apply to Rule Making to Amend Sections 73.202(b), 73.504 and 73.606(b) of the Commission's Rules, 46 FR 11549, February 9, 1981. 9. For further information concerning this proceeding, contact Leslie Shapiro, Mass Media Bureau, (202) 418-2180. For purposes of this restricted notice and comment rule making proceeding, members of the public are advised that no ex parte presentations are permitted from the time the Commission adopts a Notice of Proposed Rule Making until the proceeding has been decided and such decision is no longer subject to reconsideration by the Commission or review by any court. An ex parte presentation is not prohibited if specifically requested by the Commission or staff for the clarification or adduction of evidence or resolution of issues in the proceeding. However, any new written information elicited from such a request or a summary of any new oral information shall be served by the person making the presentation upon the other parties to the proceeding unless the Commission specifically waives this service requirement. Any comment which has not been served on the petitioner constitutes an ex parte presentation and shall not be considered in the proceeding. Any reply comment which has not been served on the person(s) who filed the comment, to which the reply is directed, constitutes an ex parte presentation and shall not be considered in the proceeding. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION John A. Karousos Chief, Allocations Branch Policy and Rules Division Mass Media Bureau Attachment: Appendix APPENDIX 1. Pursuant to authority found in Sections 4(i), 5(c)(1), 303(g) and (r), and 307(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and Sections 0.61, 0.204(b) and 0.283 of the Commission's Rules, IT IS PROPOSED TO AMEND the FM Table of Allotments, Section 73.202(b) of the Commission's Rules and Regulations, as set forth in the Notice of Proposed Rule Making to which this Appendix is attached. 2. Showings Required. Comments are invited on the proposal(s) discussed in the Notice of Proposed Rule Making to which this Appendix is attached. Proponent(s) will be expected to answer whatever questions are presented in initial comments. The proponent of a proposed allotment is also expected to file comments even if it only resubmits or incorporates by reference its former pleadings. It should also restate its present intention to apply for the channel if it is allotted and, if authorized, to build a station promptly. Failure to file may lead to denial of the request. 3. Cut-off protection. The following procedures will govern the consideration of filings in this proceeding. (a) Counterproposals advanced in this proceeding itself will be considered, if advanced in initial comments, so that parties may comment on them in reply comments. They will not be considered if advanced in reply comments. (See Section 1.420(d) of the Commission's Rules). (b) With respect to petitions for rule making which conflict with the proposals in this Notice, they will be considered as comments in the proceeding, and Public Notice to this effect will be given as long as they are filed before the date for filing initial comments herein. If they are filed later than that, they will not be considered in connection with the decision in this docket. (c) The filing of a counterproposal may lead the Commission to allot a different channel than was requested for any of the communities involved. 4. Comments and Reply Comments; Service. Pursuant to applicable procedures set out in Sections 1.415 and 1.420 of the Commission's Rules and Regulations, interested parties may file comments and reply comments on or before the dates set forth in the Notice of Proposed Rule Making to which this Appendix is attached. All submissions by parties to this proceeding or by persons acting on behalf of such parties must be made in written comments, reply comments, or other appropriate pleadings. Comments shall be served on the petitioner by the person filing the comments. Reply comments shall be served on the person(s) who filed comments to which the reply is directed. Such comments and reply comments shall be accompanied by a certificate of service. (See Section 1.420(a), (b) and (c) of the Commission's Rules.) Comments should be filed with the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, Washington, DC 20554. 5. Number of Copies. In accordance with the provisions of Section 1.420 of the Commission's Rules and Regulations, an original and four copies of all comments, reply comments, pleadings, briefs, or other documents shall be furnished the Commission. 6. Public Inspection of Filings. All filings made in this proceeding will be available for examination by interested parties during regular business hours in the Commission's Public Reference Room at its headquarters, 1919 M Street, NW, Washington, DC.