1o' vd Before the i"-C Lu i J FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION PSC SC Washington, DC 20554 PSC Washington, MAILMAIL// DMS InIn theMatterof
Barrington Myrtle Beach License LLC WPDE-TV, Florence, South Carolina (17012) MB Docket No. 12-1 CSR- Petition for Recognition of Significantly Viewed Status
To: Chief, Media Bureau
PETITION FOR SPECIAL RELIEF
Barrington Myrtle Beach License LLC ("Barrington"), licenseelicensee of television station WPDE-TV, Florence, South Carolina (Facility ID 17012) ("WPDE"), respectfully requests, pursuant to Sections 76.7(a)(1) and 76.54(b) of the rules,rules,'hat1 that thethe Commission recognize WPDE as significantly viewed in thethe South Carolina communities of Georgetown,
Murrells Inlet, Pawley's Island, Kingstree, Andrews, and Hemingway. In accordance with the procedures set by thethe Commission, Barrington commissioned two week-long independent professional audience surveyssurveys of over-the-air televisiontelevision homes in these communities. The results show thatthat WPDE, an ABC affiliate, meets the significantly viewed standard for network stations set out inin Section 76.5(i) of the Commission's rules. 2 Accordingly, WPDE qualifies for the significantly viewed exception toto thethe Commission's network nonduplication and syndicated exclusivity rulesrules in the surveyed communities. See 47 C.F.R. §$ §g 76.92(f), 76.106(a), 76.122(a), and 76.123(a).
'747 C.F.R. §§)It 76.7(a)(1) and 76.54(b).
2 47 C.F.R. §$ 76.5(i). I. Background
WPDE,anaffiliateof the ABC televisionnetwork,serves theMyrtleBeach-
FlorenceDesignatedMarketArea("DMA*')("DMA") (103rd(103rd ranked).TheSouthCarolina communitiesof
Georgetown,MurrellsInlet, Pawley's Island,Island, Kingstree,Andrews,andHemingway(the
"Communities")"Communities") arelocated inin the Charleston,SouthCarolinaDMA, with all butKingstree and
Hemingwaylocatedlocated in GeorgetownCounty,SouthCarolina.The communitiesofKingstreeand
Hemingwayarelocated in WilliamsburgCounty, SouthCarolina.WPDE doesnotappearon the
Commission'slist of stationsthat aresignificantlyviewedinin Georgetownor Williamsburg counties.3 As aresult,result, cableandsatellitesystemsservingtheCommunitiescurrentlymaybe requiredto deleteall of WPDE'sWPDE*s networkprogrammingand syndicatedprogrammingupon noticefroman in-marketbroadcast televisiontelevision stationthatalsoairs theprogramming.Underthe significantlyviewedexceptionsfor cableandsatellitesystems,4 however,thesesystemswill not berequiredto deleteWPDE'sWPDE's networkor syndicated programmingifWPDEif WPDE isdeemedto be significantlyviewedinin theCommunities. As shownbelow,WPDEhasmetthesignificantly viewedstandardin theCommunities.BecauseWPDEissignificantlyviewedby over-the-air viewersin thethe Communities,cable andsatellitesubscribersin thesethese areasshouldnotbedeprived of accesstoto majormajor portionsof WPDE's programmingline-up.
3See MemorandumMemorandum Opinion and Order on Reconsideration of the Cable Television Report and Order, 36 FCC 2d 326, at Appendix B (1972), aff'dag'd sub nom. American Civil Liberties Union v. FCC, 523 F.2d 1344 (9th Cir. 1975) (the "1972 Cable Reconsideration Order").Order"). The Commission maintains an up-to-date version of the list on its website, reflecting stations added since 1972 and stations subject to programming deletions in particular communities. The most recent version of thethe list isis available at http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/significantviewedstationsOlO213.pdfhttp://transition.fcc.gov/mb/significantviewedstations010213.pdf [hereinafter "1972 Significantly Viewed List"]. The listings for Georgetown and Williamsburg counties appear at pages 358 and 362, respectively.
4 See 47 C.F.R. §§$ $ 76.92(f), 76.106(a), 76.122(j), and 76.123(k)
-2-2- II.IL Request for Significantly Viewed Status
Because the 1972 Significantly Viewed List may no longerlonger reflect real-life circumstances inin particular markets, thethe Commission has adopted procedures for recognizing additional stations as significantly viewed in particular communities. 5 Stations may obtain significantly viewed status by showingshowing thatthat the station meets the applicable significantly viewed benchmarks in particular areas served by a cable system at issue.issue.6 In order to be deemed to be significantly viewed in a community, stations affiliated with ABCABC--such—such as WPDE--mustWPDE—must achieve both "a share of viewing hours of at leastleast 3 percent (total week hours) and a net weekly circulation of at least 25 percent" inin over-the-air homes in thethe community.community.'he7 The data supporting this showing must be drawn from studies conducted by an independent, professional audience survey organization over at least twotwo weekly periods separated by at least thirty days, no more than one of which maymaybebe aa week between thethe months ofApril and September. 8 IfIftwotwo surveys are taken, they must include samples sufficientsufflcient to assure that the combined surveys result in an average figure at leastleast one standard error above thethe required viewing level. 9
As explained below, according to community-specific data obtained by
Barrington fromfrom Marshall Marketing ("Marshall"),("Marshall"), WPDE exceeds the required viewing levels in the Communities by at least one standard error. Thus, Barrington respectfullyrespectfully requests thatthat the
Commission recognize WPDE as significantly viewed in thethe Communities.
s'747 C.F.R. §tl 76.54(b). 6Id.Id 7 47 C.F.R. §§I'I) 76.50).76.5(i).
8 47 C.F.R. §II 76.54(b). 9IdId..
-3- To provide a representative sample of over-the-air viewing of WPDE in thethe
Communities, Barrington commissioned Marshall, an independent professional survey organization, toto conduct two week-long surveys of non-cable and non-alternative-delivery system ("non-ADS") households locatedlocated in the zip codes composing the Communities.Communities.'s10 As explained in the attached Marshall study,study,"11the data was compiled based on two telephone surveys, conducted from October 14 -— 20, 2012, and from November 25 -— December 1, 2012.
The sample source for thethe surveys consisted of Random Digit Dialing (RDD) telephone numbers, which includes listedlisted and unlisted numbers in the Communities. Only non-cable/non-
ADS households were surveyed. Marshall's study shows that,that, during the survey periods, the average share of viewing hours and average net weeklyweekly circulation (cume) of WPDE in the
Communities were as follows:
=:,:No'n-C, bid'IN 'WJPEVle"'' in 8::e:: Georgetown Completed Surveys 16 _, "r".... __ _,_ ......
'.s. Ifg rfogg'A';.:'::,'(Aliifr'.'"",'hare -„12fo'.. Georgetown co.co Share of Viewing 25% 29440 ¹t:Wegkly::Cift'plgti4i'i:'(cri'i':-:4 Murrells Inlet Completed Surveys 10
'Sta)idai."d 8''rr'alii'hare Georgetown co. Share of Viewing 27% 29576 Net;yifevegl''yyni'r'cufatf'bn;(40. e Pawley's Island Completed Surveys 7 :lsfaiil@f't1!grrpi;S_a._d_E_ro_ ...... ', '„'79IQc:::::I_ ...... Georgetown CO.co. Share of Viewing 35% 29585 :::;N''et We''eely:'.C(reel'jticil'r''curn'el'-':,:',!!,:;$';:.
10 Specifically, thethe Marshall survey results are for zip codes 29440, 29510, 29554, 29556, 29576, and 29585, as assigned byby the U.S.U.S. Postal Service. See AttachmentAttachment 1. Pursuant to Section 76.54(c) of the Commission's rules, Barrington sent advance notifications toto interested parties of its intent to commission Marshall to conduct the surveys. _" See Attachment 1. The data submitted, along with the description of methodology, are as agreed on between Barrington and Marshall. See Gulf-California Broadcast Co., 23 FCC Rcd 7406, at ¶4$4 n.n.1515 (rel. May 6, 2008) ("("Gulf-California").Gulf-California").
-4- Williamsburg co. 29556
Hemingway
Williamsburg co. 29554
The independent professional audience survey demonstrates that,that, based on the average results fromfrom two week-long surveys conducted in accordance with the Commission's rules, WPDE achieved average share and cume figures at leastleast one standard error above the requiredrequired viewing levelslevels for network stations. Thus, Barrington respectfullyrespectfully requests that the
FCCFCC recognizerecognize WPDE's significantly viewed status in the surveyed Communities.
Respectfully submitted,
BARRINGTON MYRTLE BEACH LICENSE LLC
By: Jennifer A. Johnson Eve R. Pogoriler Michael Beder COViNGTONCOVINGTON & BURLINGBVRLING LLP 1201120 I Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20004 (202) 662-6000
JtsIts Attorneys
FebruaryFebruary 20, 2013
5- DECLARATION OPOF WARREN SPECTOR
I, Warren Spector, declare as follows:
1.l. I am the Chief Financial OflicerOfficer of BamngtonBarrington Broadcasting Group, LLC, the parent company of BarringtonHarrington Myrtle Beach License LLC, which is the licensee of WPDE-TV,WPDF TU,
Florence, South Carolina.
2. I have read the foregoingforegoing Petition for Special Relief, and to thethe best of my knowledge, information, and belief formed after reasonable inquiry, it is well-grounded in fact and isis warranted by existing law and it is not interposed forfor any improper purpose.
Date ATTACHMENT 1 ? ',7. il MarshallNaiihlll Market|rigNarkeiins L A ResearchRetseorell _W Ana|ys_Anelyaig _W ConsuH|ngConaelilisl
FLOUNCE-FLORENCE — MYRTLEMYRTLE BEACH SIG_IC_TLYSICMFICANTLY _EWEDVIKWKB STaYSTUDY WPDEIItYI'BK
The attached report provides audience net weekly circnlationcirculation (cume) and share informationinformation among non- cable/non-ADS households forfor WPDE. Two surveys were conducted to deteuninedetermine the netuet weekly circtdationcirculation and share information_information, the first from&om October 1414- — 20,20, 2012, audand thethe secondsecond &omfrom November 2525- — DecetuberDecember 1,I, 2012. The reportreport is based on a series of zip codes for thethe eommlmitiescouunuuities of Georgetown, MurrellsMutrells Inlet, Pawleys Island, Kingstree_Kingstree, Andrews and Hemingveay,Henungway, SC. msThis study measures non-cable/non-ADS household viewing over a 7 day periockperiod.
The sample sourcesource forthefor the sttrve_surveys consisted of Random Digit Dialing (R.DD)phone(RDD) phone numbers, which includes listed and lmlistedunlisted numbe_numbers iniu the:the aboveabove stated comtmmities,commtuxi'ties, andsnd was provided by SttrveySurvey Sampling InternationalInternational of Shelton:,Sheltou, CT. QualifiedQuahfied respondentsrespoudents had toto beatbe at least 1818 years of age orolder,or older, and not work for a researchresearch company, ageneyagency or media outlet. Also, to qtmlifyqualify a householdhousehold could ONLY receive their television receptionreception over thethe air using anau antenna. ShareandShare and Net Weekly Circulation (cume) are computedcomputed, for each of the geographies as tbllows:follows: - - I~VsWeekly circulationM ti Iis computedp t dbydlby dividing'd'ththe numberb off over,the-air-Ih Ihouseholdsh ld ththatt reportedM d d viewingI ipgththe station 5+ minutes or more in the past 7 days by thetotalthe total holtseholdshouseholds interviewed.interviewed. 'I ShareS~hfViof Viewing isI, computedp t dbydiby dixrding g TotalMinutesT IMMI t ViewedV'dtStationI; bybyTTotalhdMMinutest ViViewed dgIIStAll Stationsli intheiu the past7past 7 days.
p $ ~] ConfidenceCoufidence Level Fo_anula.Formula- ...... Margm ofError Formula—
P-SampleP = Sample Proportionvalue n:==n=ntab/samplen tab /sample s_e:size Z == The critical _aluevalue that goes withwith a _vengiveu ConfidenCecoufidence level = Za/2Z&z = The _alue=value from&om the standard noiTaaInormal i_s_ibutiondistribution table:table of Z scores
2600 8oyceBayce Plaza Rd,Rd. _g Suite:Suite 2i0,2'10 v PiffSburgh,Pittsburgh, PA i152415241! _v 412_9412.914.0970i4,0970 ~ Fax: 412.914.0971412.9:i 4]0971 MarshaliMarketingUSAicomMarshaliMarketingUSA.corn l . I'NcgrshcgllMarshal] Marketi.gNgIrketingl ResearchReseggteh _,.m A.alysisAwgglyfgie _W ConsultingCoggigggMggl
SIGNIFICANTLY VIEWED STUDY WPDE-TV Community Non-Cable/Non-ADS HH Week of Week of TOTAL County WPDE Viewing Oct. 14-20,2012 Nov.25-Dec 1 Zip Code Georgetown Number of Intabs 8 8 16 _iiii!iiiiiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiii_iii_ii_i_i_i_iIiI_i_ii_!_i!_ii_iii_iiiii!ii_iiiii_ii_i_iiiiiiiiiii_iii!iii_ Georgetown co. Share of Viewing 23% 28% 25% 29440
Community Non-Cable/Non-ADS HH Week of Week of TOTAL County WPDE Viewing Oct. 14-20,2012 Nov.25-Dec 1 Zip Code Murrells Inlet Number of Intabs 6 4 10
Georgetown co. Share of Viewing 33% 19% 27% 29576
Community Non-Cable/Non-ADS HH Week of Week of TOTAL County WPDE Viewing Oct. 14-20,2012 Nov.25-Dec 1 Zip Code Pawley's island Number of Intabs 4 7 i_i_iii_i_iii_i_ii_i_iiii!iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!i_iiiiiiiiiiiiii_i_iiiiiiiiii!iii_iiiiii!iiiii_i_i_ Georgetown co. Share of Viewing 30% 70% 35% 29585 ...... _-__86_:_
Community Non-Cable/Non-ADS HH Week of Week of TOTAL County WPDE Viewing Oct. 14-20,2012 Nov.25-Dec 1 Zip Code Kingstree Number of Intabs 5 5 10
Williamsburg co. Share of Viewing 32% 21% 29% 29556
Community Non-Cable/Non-ADS HH Week of Week of TOTAL County WPDE Viewing Oct. 14-20,2012 Nov.25-Dec 1 Zip Code Andrews Number of Intabs 9 7 16
Georgetown co. Share of Viewing 34% 27% 29510 _a_i_ i_!...... _ ...... !i!!!i:.
Community Non-Cable/Non-ADS HH Week of Week of TOTAL County WPDE Viewing Oct. 14-20,2012 Nov.25-Dec 1 Zip Code Hemingway Number of Intabs 7 15
Williamsburg co. Share of Viewing 42% 17% 35% 29554
6 Communities Number of Intabs 40 34 74 stgnrlerrf error 24% 31% Georgetown &go Share of Viewing 34%34o/o toto/o 31/o ' '. . '-'3%'*..'-* Williamsburg co.to. Net weeriiy...... 4'itturatton'ttume).::: - ".: -," ;;!,'.;,:i,,;.::;:"'='-::;_;_-,_ 68%,...... : ...... 66go/a
2600 Boyce Plaza Rd. *~ Suite 210.210 ~ Pittsburgh, PA 15241 ®~ 412.914.0970 ®~ Fax: 412.914.0971 MarshallMarketing USA.comUSA.corn CERTIFICATECKRTIFICATK OF SERVICESKRVICK
I, Michael Beder, an associate with the lawlaw firm of Covington & Burling LLP, certify thatthat on this 20th day of February 2013 I caused copies of the foregoing Petition for Special Relief toto be served by first-classfirst-class U.S. mail on thethe following:
WCBD-TV WCIV Media General Communications Holdings, Charleston Television, LLC LLC 888 Allbritton Boulevard 333 East Franklin Street Charleston, SC 29464 Richmond, VA 2321923219
WCSC-TV WMMP WCSC License Subsidiary LLC WMMP Licensee L.P. 201 Monroe Street c/o Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP RSA Tower, 20th Floor 2300 N Street, NW Montgomery, AL 36104 Washington, DC 20037
WTAT-TVWTAT-TU WBTW WTAT Licensee, LLC Media General Communications Holdings, 2000 W. 41st Street LLC Baltimore, MD 21211 333 East Franklin Street Richmond, VA 23219
WFXB WMBF Springfield Broadcasting Partners WMBF License Subsidiary LLC c/o Russell J.J. Schwartz, Esq. 201 Monroe Street One Television Place RSA Tower, 20th Floor Charlotte, NC 28205 Montgomery, AL 36104
WECT WIS WECT License Subsidiary LLC WIS License Subsidiary LLC 201 Monroe Street 201 Monroe Street RSA Tower, 20th Floor RSA Tower, 20th Floor Montgomery, AL 36104 Montgomery, AL 36104
WOLO-TVWOLD-TV South Carolina Broadcasting Partners Time Warner Cable c/o Russell J. Schwartz, Esq. 60 Columbus Circle One Television PlacePlace New York, NY 10023 Charlotte, NC 28205 Executive VP & Chief Programming Officer HorryTelephoneCoop. DISHNetwork P.O. Box1820 9601 S.MeridianBlvd Conway,SC29526 Englewood,Englewood, CO 80112 Attn: SandyHendrick Executive VP& General Counsel
DirecTV SouthCarolinaSecretary of State'sOffice 2230EastImperialHighwayHighvvay 1205PendletonStreet,Suite525 El Segundo,CA90245 Columbia,SC29201 Sr.Director,ProgrammingAcquisition
TheDepartmentof ConsumerAffairs PublicServiceCommissionof South Carolina 2221DevineStreet,Suite200 101ExecutiveCenterDr.,Suite100 PostOfficeBox 5757 Columbia, SC29210 Columbia,SC29250
MichaelBeder