DAILY DIGESTVol. 13, No. 237 December 16, 1994
The following items were adopted at the December 15
Commission meeting and released later that day:
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NEWS RELEASES
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FCC PROPOSES NEW POLICIES AND RULES TO
INCREASE MINORITY OWNERSHIP OF MASS MEDIA
FACILITIES - MM DOCKET NOS. 94-149 AND 91-140
(Report No. DC-2693, Action in Docket Case)
As part of its continuing effort to create
opportunities for all segments of society to participate in the
communications industry, the Commission has initiated a
proceeding to examine and evaluate it minority ownership
policies and to explore the need for incentives to increase
female ownership of mass media facilities. The
Commission said it was particularly interested in increasing
access to capital because lack of access to capital is a critical
entry barrier.
Action by the Commission December 15 by NPRM
(FCC 94-323).
News Media contacts: Patricia A. Chew and Susan
Lewis Sallet at (202) 418-0500; Mass Media Bureau
contacts: Jane Hinckley Halprin and Diane Conley at (202)
632-7792. [Intenet file name: nrmm4077.txt]
FURTHER COMMENTS SOUGHT ON POSSIBLE
CHANGES IN TV OWNERSHIP RULES - MM DOCKET
NOS. 91-221, 87-8 (Report No. DC-2692, Action in
Docket Case)
The Commission is asking for further comment on
proposals to change the local and national television
ownership rules. It asked that these comments address the
impact on competition and diversity of programming by way
of a detailed economic framework outlined in the Further
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
Action by the Commission December 15 by Further
NPRM (FCC 94-322).
News Media contacts: Audrey Spivack and
Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0500; Mass Media Bureau
contacts: Doug Webbink at (202) 632-5414; Roger Holberg
at (202) 632-7792 and Robert Kieschnick at (202) 634-6530.
[Internet file name: nrmm4072.txt]
BROADCAST ATTRIBUTION RULES TO BE
REVIEWED - MM DOCKET NOS 94-150, 92-51, 87-154
(Report No. DC-2691, Action in Docket Case)
The Commission has commenced a review of its
broadcast attribution rules, which specify how "ownership"
of mass media entities is determined. The rules under
review are those by which the Commission defines what
constitutes a "cognizable" interest for the purpose of
applying the multiple ownership rules to specific situations.
The multiple ownership rules limit the number of broadcast
stations that a single person or entity, directly or
indirectly, is permitted to own, operate or control. By
limiting the ownership of mass media outlets, the rules
encourage programming diversity and assure competition in
the provision of broadcast services.
Action by the Commission December 15 by NPRM
(FCC 94-324).
News Media contact: Audrey Spivack and
Rosemary Kimball at (202) 418-0500; Mass Media Bureau
contacts: Doug Webbink at (202) 632-5414; Mania K.
Baghdadi, Alan Aronowitz at (202) 632-7792. [Internet file
name: nrmm4071.txt]
COMMISSION AFFIRMS PROGRAM ACCESS RULE
ON EXCLUSIVE CONTRACTS FOR SATELLITE
PROGRAMMING - MM DOCKET 92-265 (Report No.
DC-2694, Action in Docket Case)
The Commission has affirmed its program access
rule on exclusive contracts between direct broadcast satellite
distributors and satellite cable programming vendors.
Action by the Commission December 15 by MO&O
on Reconsideration of the First R&O (FCC 94-326).
News Media contact: Morgan Broman at (202) 418-
0852; Cable Services Bureau contacts: Mora Cantrill and
Nancy Markowitz at (202) 416-0800. [Internet file name:
nrcb203.txt]
FCC AFFIRMS INTERIM TRANSPORT RATE
STRUCTURE - CC DOCKET 91-213 (Report No. DC-
2690, Action in Docket Case)
The Commission has affirmed the interim rate
structure and related pricing rules that govern the local
telephone companies' provision of transport services. As
part of its decision, the Commission addressed all the
remaining issues raised in reconsideration petitions filed
since the Commission adopted the interim transport rate
structure in 1992.
Action by the Commission December 15 by Third
MO&O on Reconsideration and Supplemental NPRM (FCC
94-325).
News Media contact: Susan Lewis Sallet at (202)
418-0500; Common Carrier Bureau contacts with respect to
the Third MO&O: Matt Harthun at (202) 418-1590 or David
Sieradzki at (202) 418-1576.
Common Carrier Bureau contact with respect to the
Supplemental NPRM: Barbara Esbin at (202) 418-1520.
[Intenet file name: nrcc4080.txt]
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The following items are dated for and released December
16:
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NEWS RELEASES
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TWO AMATEURS SURRENDER LICENSES IN EXAM
FRAUD CASE; THIRD AMATEUR AGREES TO
SETTLEMENT
Amateur Extra Class licensees Robert L. Flores
(N6WPQ) and Rose Marie Flores (N6WPR), both of Santa
Monica, California, have surrendered their licenses for
cancellation following the initiation of license revocation and
suspension proceedings in an examination fraud case. The
third amateur involved in the case, Amateur Extra Class
licensee James B. Williams (AA6TC) of Wilmington,
California, has agreed to a settlement.
FCC CALENDAR OF EVENTS [Internet file name:
evts4002.txt]
FCC FILINGS [internet filename: 4007.txt]
AMATEUR RADIO CALL SIGNS
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PUBLIC NOTICES
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US WEST, RANGE TELEPHONE, RT
COMMUNICATIONS, TRI-COUNTY TELEPHONE, TCT
WEST, AND UNION TELEPHONE FILED PETITION
FOR RECONSIDERATION OF THE COMMON
CARRIER BUREAU'S MEMORANDUM OPINION AND
ORDER [DA 94-954] - Comments are due January 23,
replies February 6, 1995 - Contact: Adrian Wright at (202)
418-0830 [DA 94-1240]
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
ANNOUNCES PUBLIC AVAILABILITY OF FORM 600 -
Contact: FCC Records Management Branch at (202) 418-
0210
PRIVATE OPERATIONAL-FIXED SERVICE
FREQUENCIES TO BE AVAILABLE FOR
REASSIGNMENT - Contact: Microwave Branch at (717)
337-1421
TARIFF TRANSMITTAL PUBLIC REFERENCE LOG:
December 15
FCC LABORATORY EQUIPMENT AUTHORIZATION
PROCESSING - SPEED OF SERVICE
Report No. 16069 - BROADCAST APPLICATIONS
Report No. 22046 - BROADCAST ACTIONS
Report No. 1774 - WIRELESS TELECOMMUNICATIONS
BUREAU - December 5 through December 9
Report No. CL-95-22 - WIRELESS
TELECOMMUNICATIONS BUREAU COMMERCIAL
RADIO SERVICE INFORMATION
Report No. CL-95-29 - WIRELESS
TELECOMMUNICATION BUREAU COMMERCIAL
RADIO DIVISION - PETITION TO DENY FILED
AGAINST UNSERVED AREA APPLICATIONS
Report No. I-7084 - OVERSEAS SECTION 214
APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED FOR FILING
Report No. IS-0053 - INTERNATIONAL FIXED
SATELLITE SERVICE: INTELSAT
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TEXTS
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HOUSTON, AK. Proposed allotting Channel 242A to
Houston as its third FM service. Comments are due
February 6, replies February 21. (MM Docket No. 94-146
by NPRM [DA 94-1407] adopted December 7 by the Chief,
Allocations Branch, Mass Media Bureau)
SAGEVILLE, IA. Proposed allotting Channel 291A to
Sageville as its first FM service. Comments are due
February 6, replies February 21. (MM Docket No. 94-145
by NPRM [DA 94-1416] adopted December 8 by the Chief,
Allocations Branch)
CALABASH AND TABOR CITY, NC. Effective January
30, 1995, substituted Channel 285C3 for Channel 285A at
Tabor City; reallotted Channel 285C3 from Tabor City to
Calabash, and conditionally modified the license of WYNA
accordingly. (MM Docket No. 93-249 by R&O [DA 94-
1417] adopted December 8 by the Chief, Allocations
Branch)
ERRATUM to R&O [DA 94-1301] released November 30
in the matter of amending the TV Table of Allotments at
Kaneohe, HI. (MM Docket No. 94-30 [DA 94-1415])
CALL U.S., INC. V. PUERTO RICO TELEPHONE
COMPANY (PRTS) AND AMERICAN TELEPHONE
AND TELEGRAPH (AT&T). Dismissed with prejudice
Call U.S., Inc.'s complaints against PRTC and AT&T
alleging practices of attempting to collect erroneously billed
charges from Call U.S.'s resale customers, and AT&T's
acceptance of PRTC's remittances of charges erroneously
billed as AT&T international calls. (By Order [DA 94-
1410] adopted December 7 by the Chief, Formal Complaints
and Investigations Branch, Enforcement Division, Common
Carrier Bureau)
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ADDENDA: The following items released December 15
were not listed on Digest 236:
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TEXTS
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AT&T COMMUNICATIONS. Denied MCI
Telecommunications Corporation's petition to reject
AT&T's Transmittal No. 7698 to introduce 500 service.
(By Order [DA 94-1500] adopted December 15 by the
Acting Chief, Tariff Division, Common Carrier Bureau)
US WEST COMMUNICATIONS, INC. Extended to
December 17 the deadline for local exchange carriers to
comply with the meet point billing single bill requirement
pending final review by the Common Carrier Bureau of US
West's and BellSouth's waiver requests. (CC Docket No.
87-579 by Order [DA 94-1505] adopted December 15 by the
Acting Chief, Tariff Division)
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ADDENDA: The following items released December 13
were not listed on Digest 234:
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TEXTS
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E! ENTERTAINMENT TELEVISION, INC. Issued letter
in response to request for expedited clarification of the
Commission's notice requires as applied to the scheduled
addition of the E! Entertainment channel to cable
programming service tiers prior to January 1, 1995. (By
Letter [DA 94-1474] issued December 13 by the Chief,
Cable Services Bureau)
JAMES A. KAY, JR. Ordered James A. Kay to show
cause why his four land mobile licenses should not be
revoked or cancelled, why he should not be ordered to cease
and desist from certain violations of the Communications
and the Commission's rules, why an order for forfeiture
should not be issued; designated these matters for a hearing
before an Administrative Law Judge. (PR Docket No. 94-
147 by Order to Show Cause, HDO, and Notice of
Opportunity for Hearing for Forfeiture [FCC 94-315]
adopted December 9 by the Commission)