Television Broadcasting Services Helena, Montana, 77526 [2022-27260]

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• FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 242 (Monday, December 19, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 77526]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-27260]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 73

[MB Docket No. 22-118; RM-11924; DA 22-1234; FR ID 118038]


Television Broadcasting Services Helena, Montana

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: On March 10, 2022, the Media Bureau, Video Division (Bureau) 
issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) in response to a petition 
for rulemaking filed by Scripps Broadcasting Holdings LLC (Petitioner), 
the licensee of KTVH-DT (Station), channel 12, Helena, Montana, 
requesting the substitution of channel 31 for channel 12 at Helena in 
the Table of TV Allotments. For the reasons set forth in the Report and 
Order referenced below, the Bureau amends FCC regulations to substitute 
channel 31 for channel 12 at Helena.

DATES: Effective December 16, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joyce Bernstein, Media Bureau, at 
(202) 418-1647 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed rule was published at 87 FR 
16159 on March 22, 2022. The Petitioner filed comments in support of 
the petition reaffirming its commitment to apply for channel 31. No 
other comments were filed. The Report and Order substitutes channel 31 
for channel 12 at Helena, Montana. According to the Petitioner, it has 
received many complaints from viewers unable to receive a reliable 
signal on VHF channel 12, and the Commission has recognized that VHF 
channels have certain characteristics that pose challenges for their 
use in providing digital television service. The Engineering Statement 
provided with the Petition confirmed that the proposed channel 31 
contour would continue to reach virtually all of the population within 
the Station's current service area and fully cover the city of Helena. 
An analysis using the Commission's TVStudy software tool indicates that 
KTVH-DT's move from channel 12 to channel 31 is predicted to create an 
area where 2,168 persons are predicted to lose service. The loss area, 
however, is partially overlapped by the noise limited contour of other 
NBC affiliated stations and reduces the number of people who are 
predicted to lose NBC network service to 226 persons. Once those other 
sources of NBC programming are factored into the loss analysis, the new 
loss area that would be created by the proposed channel substitution 
would contain only 226 persons, which is a level of service loss the 
Commission considers to be de minimis. Concurrence from the Canadian 
government was required and has been obtained.
    This is a synopsis of the Commission's Report and Order, MB Docket 
No. 22-118; RM-11924; DA 22-1234, adopted November 29, 2022, and 
released November 29, 2022. The full text of this document is available 
for download at https://www.fcc.gov/edocs. To request materials in 
accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, 
electronic files, audio format), send an email to [email protected] or 
call the Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau at 202-418-0530 
(voice), 202-418-0432 (tty).
    This document does not contain information collection requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13. In 
addition, therefore, it does not contain any proposed information 
collection burden ``for small business concerns with fewer than 25 
employees,'' pursuant to the Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 
2002, Public Law 107-198, see 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(4). Provisions of the 
Regulatory Flexibility Act of 1980, 5 U.S.C. 601-612, do not apply to 
this proceeding.
    The Commission will send a copy of this Report and Order in a 
report to be sent to Congress and the Government Accountability Office 
pursuant to the Congressional Review Act, see 5 U.S.C. 801(a)(1)(A).

List of Subjects in 47 CFR Part 73

    Television.

Federal Communications Commission.
Thomas Horan,
Chief of Staff, Media Bureau.

Final Rule

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

PART 73--RADIO BROADCAST SERVICE

0
1. The authority citation for part 73 continues to read as follows:

    Authority:  47 U.S.C. 154, 155, 301, 303, 307, 309, 310, 334, 
336, 339.


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2. In Sec.  73.622(j), amend the Table of Allotments, under Montana, by 
revising the entry for Helena to read as follows:


Sec.  73.622  Digital television table of allotments.

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    (j) ***

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                        Community                           Channel No.
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                                 Montana
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Helena..................................................          29, 31
 
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[FR Doc. 2022-27260 Filed 12-16-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P