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 PUBLIC  NOTICE  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12th  St.,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov 
 ftp  fcc  gov 
 DA  00-  2712 
 Released:  December  1,  2000 


 FCC  CHAIRMAN  KENNARD  AND  COMMISSIONER  TRISTANI  TO  HOST  POLICY  FORUM  ON  MARKET  ENTRY  BARRIERS  FACED  BY  SMALL,  WOMEN-  AND 
 MINORITY-  OWNED  BUSINESSES  ON  TUESDAY,  DECEMBER  12,  2000 
 FCC  Chairman  William  Kennard  and  Commissioner  Gloria  Tristani  will  host  a  policy 
 forum  on  market  entry  barriers  faced  by  small,  women-  and  minority-  owned  businesses  in  the 
 communications  industry  on  Tuesday,  December  12,  2000,  from  9:  30  AM  to  1:  00  PM.  The 
 Policy  Forum  will  be  held  in  the  FCC's  Commission  Meeting  Room,  TW-  C305,  445  12th  Street, 
 SW,  Washington,  D.  C. 


 The  purpose  of  the  forum  is  to  present  the  findings  of  a  series  of  studies  which  examine 
 the  extent,  if  any,  to  which  small,  women-  and  minority-  owned  firms  in  the  communications 
 industry  experience  market  entry  barriers.  The  studies  were  commenced  pursuant  to  Section  257 
 of  the  Telecommunications  Act  of  1996,  47  U.  S.  C.  §  257,  which  requires  that  the  FCC  identify 
 and  eliminate  market  entry  barriers  for  entrepreneurs  and  other  small  telecommunications 
 businesses,  and  Section  309(  j)  of  the  Act,  which  requires  the  FCC  to  further  opportunities  in  the 
 allocation  of  spectrum-  based  services  for  small  businesses  and  businesses  owned  by  women  and 
 minorities. 


 The  forum  will  begin  with  presentations  by  the  experts  who  conducted  studies,  and  will 
 be  followed  by  a  roundtable  discussion  with  industry  practitioners,  civil  rights  experts,  and  the 
 authors  to  further  explore  and  discuss  the  findings  reached  in  the  reports. 


 The  forum  is  open  to  the  public,  and  seating  will  be  available  on  a  first  come,  first  served 
 basis.  At  the  end  of  the  roundtable,  we  will  provide  the  audience  with  an  opportunity  for  a  short 
 question-  and-  answer  period.  All  interested  persons  are  invited  to  attend.  Individuals  with 
 disabilities  may  arrange  for  accommodations  by  contacting  Brian  Millin  at  (202)  418-  7426 
 (Voice),  (202)  418-  7365  (TTY),  or  by  sending  an  email  to  access@  fcc.  gov. 


 Office  of  General  Counsel  contacts:  Cornell  William  Brooks,  Sharon  Bradford  Franklin, 
 or  Steven  C.  Rangel  at  (202)  418-  1700.  Office  of  Communications  Business  Opportunities 
 contact:  C.  Anthony  Bush  at  (202)  418-  0990. 
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