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 Federal  Communications  Commission  DA  04-  3923 
 Before  the  Federal  Communications  Commission 
 Washington,  D.  C.  20554 


 In  the  matter  of 
 Second  Periodic  Review  of  the  Commission’s  Rules  and  Policies 
 Affecting  the  Conversion  To  Digital  Television 


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 MB  Docket  No.  03-  15 


 ORDER  GRANTING  EXTENSION  OF  TIME  TO  FILE 
 FIRST  ROUND  DTV  CHANNEL  ELECTION  FORMS 


 Adopted:  December  17,  2004  Released:  December  21,  2004 
 By  the  Chief,  Media  Bureau: 


 1.  On  August  4,  2004,  the  Commission  adopted  a  Report  and  Order  1  in  the  above-  captioned  proceeding  that,  among  other  things,  established  a  channel  election  process  through  which  television 
 broadcast  licensees  and  permittees  will  select  their  ultimate  digital  channel  inside  the  core  television  spectrum  (i.  e.,  channels  2-  51).  The  channel  election  process  commenced  in  October  2004  with  the  filing 
 of  FCC  Form  381,  the  Pre-  Election  Certification  form.  The  channel  election  process  will  continue  with  three  rounds  of  channel  elections,  the  first  round  of  which  was  scheduled  to  take  place  in  December  2004 
 with  the  filing  of  FCC  Form  382.  2  The  Report  and  Order  did  not  specify  a  precise  date  in  December  for  the  filing  of  FCC  Form  382. 


 2.  On  November  24,  2004,  the  Association  for  Maximum  Service  Television,  Inc.  (“  MSTV”)  filed  a  request  that  the  Commission  delay  the  first  round  of  DTV  channel  elections  until  mid-January 
 2005  to  provide  stations  with  more  time  to  conduct  the  analysis  and  preparation  necessary  to  make  the  first  round  filing.  MSTV  argues  that  television  licensees  need  additional  time  to  consider  their 
 channel  choices  because  up  to  now  they  have  devoted  most  of  their  attention  and  resources  on  ensuring  proper  pre-  election  certifications  prior  to  the  first  round  of  elections.  MSTV  contends  this  extension  will 
 also  permit  broadcasters  adequate  time  to  review  the  FCC’s  new  Table  of  Station  Assignment  and  Service  Information,  which  is  being  released  in  a  separate  Public  Notice  issued  concurrently  with  this  Order. 
 MSTV  also  states  that  it  is  in  the  process  of  developing  software  to  assist  stations  in  evaluating  channel  election  options  and  interference  consequences,  and  that  a  brief  extension  of  time  would  allow  more  first 
 round  electors  to  use  this  software  and  provide  for  a  more  efficient  and  accurate  channel  election  process.  MSTV  contends  that  this  additional  time  at  the  beginning  of  the  process  will  not  delay  the  overall  election 
 schedule  and  will  provide  for  well-  considered  elections  in  the  public  interest. 
 3.  In  view  of  our  interest  in  a  smooth  and  accurate  channel  election  process,  we  hereby 


 1  Report  and  Order,  19  FCC  Rcd  18,  279  (2004). 
 2  Id.  at  18,  297,  ¶  43. 
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 Federal  Communications  Commission  DA  04-  3923 
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 grant  MSTV’s  request  and  will  extend  the  period  for  filing  the  first  round  channel  election  forms  (FCC  Form  382)  until  January  27,  2005.  Thus,  FCC  Form  382,  which  is  now  available  for  filing  on  the  FCC’s 
 website,  3  may  be  filed  any  time  through  January  27,  2005.  This  brief  delay  in  the  filing  deadline  will  assist  stations  that  require  additional  time  to  make  first  round  channel  election  decisions  and  could  result 
 in  better  informed  decisions  and  reduced  potential  for  interference  conflicts.  We  note  that  virtually  all  television  stations  will  be  filing  an  election  in  the  first  round  of  the  channel  election  process.  We  agree 
 with  MSTV  that  allowing  a  brief  delay  in  the  filing  of  FCC  Form  382  should  not  delay  completion  of  the  entire  channel  election  process,  as  facilitating  accurate  and  better  informed  first  round  elections  should 
 ultimately  help  streamline  later  steps  in  the  channel  election  process. 
 4.  Accordingly,  IT  IS  ORDERED  that  the  Request  for  Extension  of  Time  for  First  Round  DTV  Channel  Elections,  filed  in  MB  Docket  03-  15  by  MSTV,  is  GRANTED  to  the  extent  described 


 herein. 
 5.  IT  IS  FURTHER  ORDERED  that  the  period  for  filing  FCC  Form  382  in  the  above-captioned  proceeding  IS  EXTENDED  through  January  27,  2005. 


 6.  This  action  is  taken  pursuant  to  authority  found  in  Sections  4(  i)  and  303(  r)  of  the  Communications  Act  of  1934,  as  amended,  47  U.  S.  C.  §§  154(  i)  and  303(  r),  and  Sections  0.204(  b),  0.283, 
 and  1.45  of  the  Commission’s  rules,  47  C.  F.  R.  §§  0.  204(  b),  0.283,  and  1.45. 


 FEDERAL  COMMUNICATIONS  COMMISSION 


 W.  Kenneth  Ferree  Chief,  Media  Bureau 


 3  See  http://  www.  fcc.  gov. 
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