PUBLIC NOTICE Federal Communications Commission 445 12th St., S.W. Washington, D.C. 20554 News Media Information 202 / 418-0500 Internet: https://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 DA 16-203 February 25, 2016 Notice of Effective Date of STELAR Market Modification Rules Requiring OMB Approval Media Bureau Now Accepting Satellite Market Modification Petitions MB Docket No. 15-71 By this Public Notice, we announce that the satellite market modification rules are now in effect and the Commission is now accepting satellite market modification petitions. In addition, prospective petitioners may send their “pre-filing coordination” requests to satellite carriers before filing petitions, asking whether the prospective petition is technically and economically feasible for the carrier. On September 2, 2015, the Commission released the STELAR Market Modification Report and Order,1 which adopted satellite television market modification rules to implement Section 102 of the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act Reauthorization Act of 2014 (STELAR). These rules became effective on November 2, 2015, except for the rules that require approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) because they contain information collection requirements.2 The Commission submitted these information collection requirements to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review under 47 U.S.C. § 3507(d) and we announce that OMB has approved these collections.3 In the STELAR Market Modification Report and Order, the Commission stated that these rules will become effective after the Commission publishes a notice in the Federal Register announcing OMB approval and the relevant effective date.4 The Commission has published this notice in the Federal Register announcing today, February 25, 2016, as the effective date of the rules.5 Accordingly, the rules that required OMB approval took effect today, February 25, 2016. 1 Amendment to the Commission’s Rules Concerning Market Modification; Implementation of Section 102 of the STELA Reauthorization Act of 2014, MB Docket No. 15-71, Report and Order, 30 FCC Rcd 10406 (2015) (STELAR Market Modification Report and Order). The STELAR Market Modification Report and Order is available on the Commission’s website at https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-15-111A1.pdf. The document is also available electronically via the Commission’s Electronic Document Management System (EDOCS) website at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/ (by FCC document number, FCC 15-111) or via the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) website at http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/ (by docket number, MB Docket No. 15- 71). The rules that require OMB approval are 47 C.F.R. §§ 76.59(a)-(b), 76.66(d)(6). 2 Federal Communications Commission, Television Market Modification; Statutory Implementation, 80 Fed. Reg. 59635 (Oct. 2, 2015). 3 See Notice of Office of Management and Budget Action for OMB Control No. 3060-0546 (approved Feb. 18, 2016); Notice of Office of Management and Budget Action for OMB Control No. 3060-0980 (approved Feb. 19, 2016). See also Notice of Office of Management and Budget Action for OMB Control Nos. 3060-0888 (approved Nov. 25, 2015). 4 STELAR Market Modification Report and Order, para. 64. 5 Federal Communications Commission, Television Market Modification; Statutory Implementation, 81 Fed. Reg. 9360 (Feb. 25, 2016), available at https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/federal-communications-commission. 2The Commission is now accepting satellite television market modification petitions. Satellite market modification petitions may be filed by commercial broadcast television stations, satellite carriers, and county governments.6 Individuals may not file petitions. The petition must be filed electronically using the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs2/, and in accordance with the procedures for filing Special Relief petitions in Section 76.7 of the rules.7 We encourage prospective petitioners to contact the satellite carrier before filing a satellite market modification petition to determine whether or not the prospective petition is technically and economically feasible for the carrier. This voluntary process is referred to as “pre-filing coordination.” For more information about the market modification process and how to file such petitions, see the Media Bureau’s guide concerning the STELAR market modification process at https://transition.fcc.gov/bureaus/mb/policy/STELAR-Market-Modification.pdf.8 For information about the satellite carriage of broadcast television stations, see the Media Bureau’s website on Satellite Television at https://www.fcc.gov/general/satellite-television. For additional information, contact Evan Baranoff, Evan.Baranoff@fcc.gov, of the Media Bureau, Policy Division, at (202) 418-2120. Press inquiries should be directed to Janice Wise at (202) 418-8165. TTY: (202) 418-7172 or (888) 835-5322. --FCC-- 6 47 C.F.R. § 76.59(a). 7 47 C.F.R. § 76.7. See Media Bureau Announces Commencement of Mandatory Electronic Filing for Cable Special Relief Petitions and Cable Show Cause Petitions Via the Electronic Comment Filing System, Public Notice, 26 FCC Rcd 17150 (MB 2011); https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-11-2095A1.doc. Petitioners should record the ECFS confirmation number. If you do not receive a confirmation number, the petition was not successfully filed and you should contact the ECFS customer support staff at 202-418-0193 or ecfshelp@fcc.gov. 8 If this link does not work, go to the Media Bureau’s website on Satellite Television at https://www.fcc.gov/general/satellite-television and click on “STELAR Market Modification.”