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                            Before the                 
                Federal Communications Commission
                      Washington, D.C. 20554



In the Matter of                        )
                                   )
Ancillary or Supplementary Use of            )    MM Docket No. 98-203
Digital Television Capacity by Noncommercial )                         
Licensees                          )                        
                                   ) 



     ORDER GRANTING EXTENSION OF TIME FOR FILING COMMENTS 


  Adopted:  January 28, 1999                 Released:  January 28, 1999   

  By the Chief, Mass Media Bureau:

     1.  On November 23, 1998, the Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rule Making in
this proceeding (FCC 98-304) ("NPRM") regarding the ancillary or supplementary use of digital
television capacity by noncommercial educational ("NCE") television licensees.  Comments in this
proceeding are presently due January 28, 1999, and reply comments are due March 1, 1999.  

     2.  On January 27, 1998, the Association of America's Public Television Stations ("AAPTS")
submitted a Motion for Extension of Time to file comments in response to the NPRM.  AAPTS states
that additional time is necessary to allow the AAPTS board to reflect in its filing industry-wide
discussions scheduled for the end of January, and to review in its end of January board meeting the
policy positions that it plans to present to the Commission. AAPTS requests a brief extension of the
comment and reply comment deadlines, which it contends will serve the Commission's goal of
generating a full and complete record that reflects the views of all affected parties. 
     
     3.  As set forth in Section 1.46 of the Commission's Rules, 47 C.F.R.  1.46, it is our policy
that extensions of time for filing comments in rulemaking proceedings shall not be routinely granted.
However, because of the importance of the instant proceeding to the future of public television, and
the potential benefits of the petitioner's developing a more complete record through discussion of
these issues with its members, we believe an extension of the comment and reply deadlines for the
NPRM is warranted.  To facilitate such efforts, we will grant petitioner additional time to consider
such industry-wide discussions and review its policy positions, which can provide the Commission
a more complete record in this proceeding.

     4.  Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that the Motion for Extension of Time filed in MM Docket
No. 98-203 by the Association of America's Public Television Stations IS GRANTED.  The time for
filing comments in the above-captioned proceeding IS EXTENDED to February 16, 1999. 

     5.  IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the time for filing reply comments in the above-
captioned proceeding IS EXTENDED to March 16, 1999.

     6.  This action is taken pursuant to authority found in Sections 4(i) and 303(r) of the
Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C.  154(i) and 303(r), and Sections 0.204(b),
0.283, and 1.45 of the Commission's Rules, 47 C.F.R.  0.204(b), 0.283, and 1.45.

     
                              FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


     
                              ________________________________
                              Roy J. Stewart
                              Chief, Mass Media Bureau