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 Federal  Communications  Commission  DA  02-  156 
 Before  the  Federal  Communications  Commission 
 Washington,  D.  C.  20554 


 In  the  Matter  of 
 Rules  and  Policies  Concerning 
 Multiple  Ownership  of  Radio  Broadcast 
 Stations  in  Local  Markets 


 Definition  of  Radio  Markets 


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 MM  Docket  No.  01-  317 
 MM  Docket  No.  00-  244 


 ORDER 
 Adopted:  January  23,  2002  Released:  January  23,  2002 
 By  the  Chief,  Mass  Media  Bureau: 
 1.  On  January  11,  2002,  pursuant  to  section  1.46  of  the  Commission’s  Rules,  1  the  National 
 Association  of  Broadcasters  (“  NAB”),  Clear  Channel  Communications,  Inc.,  Cumulus  Media  Inc., 
 Hispanic  Broadcasting  Corporation,  Infinity  Broadcasting  Corporation,  and  RadioWorks,  Inc.  (hereafter, 
 “petitioners”)  filed  a  “Joint  Motion  for  Extension  of  Comment  and  Reply  Comment  Deadlines”  in  this 
 proceeding.  The  current  deadlines  to  file  comments  and  reply  comments  are  February  11,  2002,  and 
 March  11,  2002,  respectively.  Petitioners  ask  the  Commission  to  extend  the  comment  and  reply  comment 
 filing  deadlines  to  March  28,  3002,  and  April  25,  2002,  respectively.  Among  other  things,  petitioners 
 assert  that  they  need  time  to  conduct,  and  incorporate  into  their  comments,  empirical  studies  and/  or  gather 
 economic  and  market  data  about  specific  local  radio  markets  and  about  consolidation,  competition  and 
 diversity  in  the  radio  marketplace.  2 


 2.  We  believe  that  the  public  interest  would  be  best  served  by  granting  an  extension  of  the 
 comment  and  reply  comment  filing  deadlines.  The  Commission  seeks  comment  on  a  wide  range  of  issues 
 relating  to  multiple  ownership  of  radio  stations  in  local  markets,  including  the  statutory  framework 
 governing  local  radio  ownership,  diversity  and  competition  in  radio  markets.  We  will,  therefore,  extend 
 the  comment  and  reply  comment  deadlines  by  thirty  days.  We  believe  that  thirty  days  provides  sufficient 
 additional  time  for  petitioners  and  other  members  of  the  public  alike  to  prepare  comprehensive  comments 
 and  replies.  This,  in  turn,  will  help  the  Commission  in  its  decision-  making  and  resolving  the  complex  and 
 significant  public  policy  issues  raised  in  this  proceeding. 


 3.  Accordingly,  IT  IS  ORDERED  that  petitioners’  Joint  Motion  for  Extension  of  Comment 
 and  Reply  Comment  Deadlines  IS  GRANTED  in  part. 


 1  47  C.  F.  R.  §  1.  46. 
 2  Motion  at  1-  2. 
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 Federal  Communications  Commission  DA  02-  156 
 2 
 4.  IT  IS  FURTHER  ORDERED  that  the  deadline  for  filing  comments  in  this  proceeding  IS 
 EXTENDED  to  March  13,  2002. 


 5.  IT  IS  FURTHER  ORDERED  that  the  deadline  for  filing  reply  comments  in  this 
 proceeding  IS  EXTENDED  to  April  10,  2002. 


 FEDERAL  COMMUNICATIONS  COMMISSION 


 Roy  J.  Stewart 
 Chief,  Mass  Media  Bureau 
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