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 PUBLIC  NOTICE  FEDERAL  COMMUNICATIONS  COMMISSION  News  Media  Information:  (202)  418-  0500  445  12th  STREET,  S.  W.  Fax-  On-  Demand:  (202)  418-  2830  WASHINGTON,  D.  C.  20554  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov 
 DA  02-  604  March  15,  2002 
 Petition  to  Deny  Filing  Periods  for  Non-  Reserved  Channel  FM  and  FM  Translator  Applications 
 Filing  Periods  to  be  Announced  via  “Broadcast  Applications”  Public  Notice 
 On  September  27,  2001,  the  Mass  Media  Bureau  (“  Bureau”)  released  a  Public  Notice  announcing  a  window  to  permit  settlements  for  certain  closed  groups  of  non-  reserved  channel  mutually  exclusive 
 broadcast  construction  permit  applications.  1  Many  mutually  exclusive  applicants  have  availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity  provided  by  the  Bureau  to  file  universal  settlement  agreements  to  resolve 
 application  conflicts.  The  Audio  Services  Division  (“  Division”)  staff  is  now  prepared  to  act  on  these  applications.  However,  some  of  these  applications  have  never  been  subject  to  a  petition  to  deny  filing 
 period.  2 
 By  this  Public  Notice,  the  Division  announces  that  it  will  use  public  notices  generated  by  the  Bureau’s  Consolidated  Database  System  to  start  the  thirty-  day  period  for  filing  petitions  to  deny  these 
 applications.  The  public  notice  entitled  “Broadcast  Applications”  will  list  such  applications  as  “Accepted  for  Filing.”  3 


 1  These  application  groups  were  previously  identified  in  “Window  Opened  to  Permit  Settlements  for  Closed 
 Groups  of  Mutually  Exclusive  Broadcast  Applications,”  Public  Notice,  DA  01-  2242  (released  September  27,  2001).  The  settlement  period  was  extended  through  February  15,  2002  in  “Extended  Settlement  Period  for  Closed 


 Groups  of  Mutually  Exclusive  Broadcast  Applications  Announced,”  Public  Notice,  DA  01-  2890  (released  December  14,  2001). 


 2  The  Commission  froze  all  ongoing  comparative  cases  pending  resolution  of  questions  raised  in  Bechtel  v.  FCC, 
 10  F.  3d  875  (D.  C.  Cir.  1993).  “FCC  Freezes  Comparative  Hearings,”  Public  Notice,  9  FCC  Rcd  1055  (1994),  modified,  9  FCC  Rcd  6689  (1994),  further  modified,  10  FCC  Rcd  12182  (1995).  Competitive  bidding  processing 


 procedures  were  adopted  by  the  Commission  in  Implementation  of  309(  j)  of  the  Communications  Act  –  Competitive  Bidding  for  Commercial  Broadcast  and  Instructional  Television  Fixed  Services,  MM  Docket  No.  97-234, 
 GC  Docket  92-  52  and  GEN  Docket  No.  90-  264,  First  Report  and  Order,  13  FCC  Rcd  15920  (1998),  reconsid.  denied,  14  FCC  Rcd  8724  (1999). 


 3  See  47  C.  F.  R.  §  73.  3584. 
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 For  further  information  contact  Rudy  Bonacci  or  Jim  Bradshaw,  Audio  Services  Division,  at  418-  2780. 
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