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                         Before the
                FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                     Washington, D.C.  20554

                                                      DA 97-602
                                                               
                                                               

In the Matter of 

Implementation of Section 25 of the Cable
Television Consumer Protection and
Competition Act of 1992

Direct Broadcast Satellite Public Service
Obligations





     MM Docket No. 93-25



                             ORDER

     Adopted:  March 21,  1997               Released:  March 21, 1997


By the Chief, International Bureau:


1. By this Order, we extend the date for filing comments in the Commission's "DBS public
interest" proceeding until April 28, 1997.  On January 31, 1997, the Commission released a
Public Notice seeking to update and refresh the record in its proceeding to implement Section 25
of the  Cable Television Consumer Protection and Competition Act of 1992 ("1992 Cable Act"). 
Section 25 of the Cable Act added a new Section 335 to the Communications Act of 1934, 47
U.S.C. 335, that directed the Commission to initiate a rulemaking to impose public interest or
other requirements on direct broadcast satellite ("DBS") service providers.  

2. The Public Notice required comments to be filed on or before March 31, 1997, and reply
comments to be filed on or before April 30, 1997.  The Satellite Broadcasting and
Communications Association ("SBCA"), the national trade association representing the Direct-
To-Home satellite industry, filed a request on March 18, 1997 seeking to extend the comment
date to April 28, 1997.  The SBCA stated, among other things, that it is a principal participant in
the ongoing compulsory arbitration proceeding at the U.S. Copyright Office to determine
satellite copyright royalty rates under the provisions of the 1994 Satellite Home Viewer Act.  In
addition, the SBCA indicates its winter Trade Show will begin on March 24, 1997, which will
consume Association resources for the entire week before the comment deadline.  Consequently,
the SBCA states that it will be extremely difficult for it to submit its views in the DBS public
interest proceeding by the original comment date.  This request is unopposed.



3. We find that a one-month extension to April 28, 1997 will allow the SBCA, as well as
other interested parties, to submit sufficiently detailed comments to assist the Commission in
reaching well informed conclusions in a timely manner. 

4. Accordingly, pursuant to Section 0.261 of the Commission's rules on delegation of
authority, IT IS ORDERED, that the pleading cycle in this proceeding is EXTENDED to allow
parties to file comments on or before April 28, 1997 and reply comments on or before May 30,
1997.














                              FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION



                              Ruth Milkman
                              Deputy Bureau Chief, International Bureau