At the request of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the FCC has extended the deadline for filing of comments and reply comments in Media Bureau Docket 04-210, which sought comment on over-the-air TV viewing. Docket 04-210 asked for comments on potential options for minimizing the impact on over-the-air TV viewers when analog broadcasting ceases and for comment on why over-the-air viewers do not subscribe to a pay TV service.
In granting the extension, the FCC noted that it usually doesn't grant extensions but in NAB's case, "it needs added time to conduct factual research studies and to prepare comments on several issues posed in the Public Notice."
The commission decided NAB's request deserved merit and extended the comments and reply comments deadline by 30 days. "A thirty day extension will result in a more thorough factual record and analysis of the issues," the FCC said. The new deadlines are August 11, 2004 for comments and September 7, 2004 for reply comments.
For more information on the FCC's investigation of over the air TV viewership, refer to the article FCC Considers Disruption to OTA TV Viewers from DTV Transition in the June 2, 2004 RF Report.
