Federal Communications Commission
Washington, D.C. 20554
DA 08-2565
Released: December 15, 2008
Tom W. Davidson
Counsel for American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.
1333 New Hampshire Ave. N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20036
Re: MB Docket No. 05-317
Dear Mr. Davidson:
By letter dated October 10, 2008, American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. (“ABC”) , licensee of 
WABC-TV and permittee of WABC-DT, New York, New York requested an extension of its waiver of 
Section 339(a)(2)(D) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, to prohibit satellite subscribers 
from receiving or conducting a digital signal strength test of WABC-DT’s digital signal.1 The 
Commission granted the original digital signal testing waiver based on the fact that the station’s digital 
signal coverage was limited due force majeure, specifically the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.2 The 
Commission has granted the licensee two six-month extensions.3 In its most recent extension request, the 
licensee states that its original DTV facilities located at the World Trade Center were destroyed on 
September 11, 2001 and it is using auxiliary facilities.  The licensee further states that it has filed an 
application to license its auxiliary facilities at the Empire State Building and that it plans to construct 
more permanent replacement facilities, likely at one of its auxiliary sites or at the proposed Freedom 
Tower location, but it has been unable to do so as of yet.      
Accordingly, IT IS ORDERED that ABC’s request IS GRANTED and the first permissible date 
for digital testing for WABC-DT IS EXTENDED six months, from to December 15, 2008 until June 15, 
2009.  It is unlikely that ABC will be able to complete permanent replacement facilities before June 15, 
2009.  If a further extension is needed, a request must be filed by April 15, 2009.
Sincerely,
Barbara A. Kreisman
Chief, Video Division
Media Bureau
  
1 See 47 U.S.C. § 339 (a)(2)(D)(viii), as amended by Section 207 of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and 
Reauthorization Act of 2004 (“SHVERA”), 47 U.S.C. § 339.
2 See Waiver of Digital Testing Pursuant to the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004, 
22 FCC Rcd 12918, 12922 (MB 2007).
3 See Waiver of Digital Testing Pursuant to the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004, 
23 FCC 396, 399 (MB 2008); Letter to Tom W. Davidson, DA 08-1280 (June 6, 2008).
.