Federal Communications Commission DA 19-1305 DA 19-1336 Released: December 31, 2019 MEDIA BUREAU ANNOUNCES COMMENT AND REPLY COMMENT DEADLINES FOR PROPOSAL TO MODIFY OR ELIMINATE THE RADIO DUPLICATION RULE MB Docket Nos. 19-310 and 17-105 Comment Date: January 22, 2020 Reply Comment Date: February 6, 2020 On November 25, 2019, the Commission released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) seeking comment on whether it should modify or eliminate section 73.3556 of the Commission’s rules (the radio duplication rule). Amendment of Section 73.3556 of the Commission’s Rules Regarding Duplication of Programming on Commonly Owned Radio Stations, Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative, MB Docket Nos. 19-310 and 17-105, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FCC 19-122 (rel. Nov. 25, 2019) (NPRM). The rule prohibits any commercial AM or FM radio station from devoting “more than 25 percent of the total hours in its average broadcast week to programs that duplicate those of any other station in the same-service (AM or FM) which is commonly owned or with which it has a time brokerage agreement if the principal community contours . . . of the stations overlap and the overlap constitutes more than 50 percent of the total principal community contour service area of either station.” 47 CFR § 73.3556. The Commission set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments at 30 and 45 days, respectively, after publication of the NPRM in the Federal Register. NPRM at 1. The summary of the NPRM was published in the Federal Register on Monday, December 23, 2019. 84 FR 70485 (Dec. 23, 2019). Accordingly, comments will be due on or before January 22, 2020, and reply comments on or before February 6, 2020. Commenters should follow the filing instructions provided in the NPRM. NPRM at 7-8, para.19. For additional information please contact Julie Saulnier of the Media Bureau Industry Analysis Division, 202-418-1598 or Julie.Saulnier@fcc.gov. Press inquiries should be directed to Janice Wise, Janice.Wise@fcc.gov, at (202) 418-8165. - FCC - 2