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

In the Matter of                )
                                )
                                )
Amendment of Section 73.202(b)  )  MM Docket No. 96-143
Table of Allotments,            )  RM-8826
FM Broadcast Stations           )  RM-8890
(Alexandria and Ball, Louisiana))


                        REPORT AND ORDER
                     (Proceeding Terminated)

   Adopted:  March 5, 1997              Released:  March 14, 1997  

By the Chief, Allocations Branch:

     1.  At the request of TYJ Broadcasters ("petitioner"), the Commission has before it the Notice
of Proposed Rule Making, 11 FCC Rcd 7662, (1996), proposing the allotment of Channel 295A to
Alexandria, Louisiana.  Petitioner and Annette G. Thompson ("Ms. Thompson") filed comment
supporting the allotment of Channel 295A at Alexandria.  Louisiana Wireless Company ("Wireless")
filed a counterproposal.  Petitioner and Ms. Thompson filed reply comments.

     2.  In its counterproposal, Wireless requests the allotment of Channel 295A to Ball, Lousiana,
as the community's first local FM service.  Wireless notes that Ball is an established community with
a population of 3,305 persons according to the 1990 Census.  It states that since an FM allotment to
Ball  would represent a first FM service to the community, the adoption of its proposal is the
preferred pursuant to Section 307(b) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended.

     3.  In response to Wireless' counterproposal, petitioner suggests the allotment of Channel
288A to Ball.  Petitioner notes that the alternate channel is assignable to Ball and will place the
required signal over the city.  Ms. Thompson opposes the allotment of Channel 295A to Ball noting
that Ball is a small community located in the suburbs of Alexandria.  She states that Alexandria is
the professional, commercial and service center for Central Louisiana, making Ball economically
and culturally dependent on it.  Accordingly, Ms. Thompson argues the Commission should reject
Wireless' proposal and allot  Channel 295A to Alexandria.  

     4.  We have carefully reviewed all of the pleadings before us  and find that the public interest
would be served by the provision of a first local service at Ball, as well as the addition of a fifth
local service to Alexandria.  In light of the availability of an alternate channel for use at Ball, we
need not conduct a comparative analysis between the two proposals.  Channel 295A and Channel
288A can be allotted to Alexandria and Ball, respectively, in compliance with the Commission's
distance separation requirements.  Channel 295A can be allotted to Alexandria without the
imposition of a site restriction.  For Channel 288A at Ball, we will impose an site restriction of 6.3
kilometers (3.9 miles) north in order to avoid a short-spacing conflict with the licensed operation of
KJJB(FM), Channel 288A, Eunice, Louisiana.

     5.  Accordingly, pursuant to the authority contained 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 ORDERED, That effective April 28, 1997, the FM Table of
Allotments, Section 73.202(b) of the Commission's Rules, IS AMENDED, with respect to the
communities listed below, to read as follows:

               City                                     Channel No.

               Alexandria, Louisiana    226C, 230A,
                                   245C, 262C,    
                                   295A

               Ball, Louisiana          288A
     
     6.  The window period for filing applications will open for Channel 295A at Alexandria,
Louisiana, and Channel 288A at Ball, Louisiana, on April 28, 1997, and close on May 29, 1997.

     7.  IT IS FURTHER ORDERED, That this proceeding IS TERMINATED.

     8.  For further information concerning this proceeding, contact Pam Blumenthal, Mass Media
Bureau, (202) 418-2180.

                                   FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION




                                        John A. Karousos 
                                        Chief, Allocations Branch
                                        Policy and Rules Division
                                        Mass Media Bureau