PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 10-636 Released: May 5, 2010 COMMISSION ANNOUNCES REVISED PLEADING SCHEDULE FOR ITS REVIEW OF APPLICATIONS OF COMCAST CORPORATION, GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, AND NBC UNIVERSAL, INC., TO ASSIGN AND TRANSFER CONTROL OF FCC LICENSES MB Docket No. 10-56 Comments/Petitions Due: June 21, 2010 Responses to Comments/Oppositions to Petitions Due: July 21, 2010 Replies to Responses/Oppositions Due: August 5, 2010 On March 18, 2010, the Commission released a Public Notice seeking comment on the applications of Comcast Corporation, General Electric Company, and NBC Universal, Inc. (collectively, the “Applicants”) to assign and transfer control of FCC licenses.1 The Commission established May 3, 2010 as the deadline for filing comments and petitions to deny; June 2, 2010 as the deadline for filing responses to comments and oppositions to petitions; and June 17, 2010 as the deadline for filing replies to responses or oppositions.2 On April 16, 2010, the Media Bureau suspended these filing deadlines in order to allow interested parties additional time to comment on two economic reports that Commission staff had requested the Applicants file – one addressing the economic support for the claimed benefits from the transaction and one addressing the potential impacts of the transaction on online video distribution.3 The Bureau explained that the staff’s request for additional reports was consistent with the requirement in this matter that issues be identified early in the proceeding.4 To ensure that interested parties would have adequate time to review and comment on these supplemental materials, the Bureau concluded that the filing 1 Commission Seeks Comment on Applications of Comcast Corporation, General Electric Company and NBC Universal, Inc. to Assign and Transfer Control of FCC Licenses, Public Notice, MB Docket No. 10-56, DA 10-457 (rel. Mar. 18, 2010) (“Original Public Notice”). 2 On March 26, 2010, the Media Bureau denied a request for an extension of these deadlines. Applications of Comcast Corporation, General Electric Company and NBC Universal, Inc. For Consent to Assign Licenses or Transfer Control of Licensees, Order, MB Docket No. 10-56, DA 10-536 (MB Mar. 26, 2010). 3 Applications of Comcast Corporation, General Electric Company and NBC Universal, Inc. For Consent to Assign Licenses or Transfer Control of Licensees, Order, MB Docket No. 10-56, DA 10-662 (MB Apr. 16, 2010). 4 Id. at 1. 2 deadlines should be suspended until the Applicants had submitted the additional reports and stopped the Commission’s informal 180-day time clock for reviewing proposed transactions.5 In order to give commenters and petitioners the full amount of time they would have had if the additional reports had been available when the Original Public Notice was issued, the Bureau stated that comments and petitions to deny would be due 45 days after it gave notice that the Applicants submitted the reports.6 The Bureau further stated that the revised deadline for filing responses to comments and oppositions to petitions would be 30 days after comments and petitions are due, and the revised deadline for filing replies to responses or oppositions would be 15 days thereafter.7 This Public Notice serves as notice that the Applicants filed the additional requested economic reports on May 4, 2010.8 At the same time, the Applicants filed several amendments to their pending applications.9 The Original Public Notice provides information regarding the various methods through which these filings are available to the public.10 Accordingly, the pleading cycle in the above-captioned matter is revised as follows: June 21, 2010 is the revised deadline for filing comments and petitions to deny; July 21, 2010 is the revised deadline for filing responses to comments and oppositions to petitions; and August 5, 2010 is the revised deadline for filing replies to responses or oppositions. The filing procedures are described in the Original Public Notice establishing the initial dates of the pleading cycle.11 The Commission will restart the informal 180-day time clock to take account of the additional comment period.12 5 Id. at 1-2. 6 Id. 7 Id. 8 Enhanced confidentiality procedures under the Second Protective Order apply to portions of these additional reports. See Letter from William T. Lake, Chief, Media Bureau, FCC, to Michael H. Hammer, Wilkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, A. Richard Metzger, Jr., Lawler, Metzger, Keeney & Logan, LLC, and David H. Solomon, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, DA No. 10-635 (Apr. 30, 2010); see also Applications of Comcast Corporation, General Electric Company and NBC Universal, Inc. For Consent to Assign Licenses or Transfer Control of Licensees, Second Protective Order, MB Docket No. 10-56, DA 10-371 (MB Mar. 4, 2010). 9 See Letter from Michael H. Hammer, Wilkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, Counsel for Comcast Corporation, A. Richard Metzger, Jr., Lawler, Metzger, Keeney & Logan, LLC, Counsel for General Electric Company, and Kenneth E. Satten, Wilkinson Barker Knauer, LLP, Counsel for NBC Universal, Inc., to Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary, FCC (May 4, 2010) (describing the amendments). The amendments affect FCC Form 315 Lead Application File Nos. BTCCDT-20100128AAG, BTCCDT-20100128ABL, BTCCDT-20100128ABN, BTCCDT-20100128ABR; FCC Form 312 Lead Application File No. SES-ASG-20100201-00148; FCC Form 603 Lead Application File No. 0004101576; FCC Forms 316 and 315 Lead Application File Nos. BALCDT-20100128ABS and BTCCDT- 20100128AAG; FCC Form 603 Application File Nos. 0004102148 and 0004101869. 10 Original Public Notice at 6. 11 Id. at 5-6. 12 Because the clock was stopped at day 29, the 29th day of the pleading cycle, it will be restarted when we reach day 29 of the new pleading cycle, June 3, 2010. 3 Further Information. For further information, contact William Freedman, (202) 418-1415, Jennifer Tatel, (202) 418-1817, Marcia Glauberman, (202) 418-7046, or Jessica Almond, (202) 418-2721, of the Media Bureau. Press inquiries should be directed to Janice Wise, (202) 418-8165, of the Media Bureau. TTY: (202) 418-2555 or (888) 835-5322. -FCC-