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Accepted / Filed
Maroh 12,2,A18
|',lAY *7 2O1B
The Honorable Ajit Pai Federd Comcrdcabm Commigql
Chainnan orft6 Sccrgtrt
0ffiEa
Foderal Communications Comrn ission
445 l2thStreetSW
Wmhington, D,C. 20554*0004 ,.]OOIT.T TILE COPY ORIGINAL

Dear Chairman Pai:

trwrite-today t9 inqutrre about the status of a peritlon frted uy GraylTelevisio,n LLren$ee, LLC to Efqdis.rhe
telev-ision market of WYMT-TV for the purpose of it being carrtiO by eatellite telbvision providers inits area.

Aslyofi,knorv, locaf broadcastingplays ao important role in communities ecra$s the" nation. Not on$ does.
'broqdeastlngprovide
trocal a nredi'uni'to infothr individuals about &rrerfi svene irr ifreir eornnumttirs, lt also
the po,b}io with he$ful information regarding macers ofpublic safeS. While we can all acknorvledge
{rovides
that access to local news is important to communities, thur" are situations where individuals aro unable to
access their local broadcasfing stations through their satellite television provider, duo to constricting tetevision
marketboundarles. fn these ins.tances, $atellite curtorners, nnany of them in rural are,as,oftho counfo, are
oftentimes left to accessnews from broadcastingstations that may be located, hundrgds of rnlles awalor in
many cases, across state lines. Further, this timited aecess to loeal news disproportionately affecg,riral
corntnr.mities, as certain ryra! aryas rely more on sateltite than eable. To aAdresi these chailenge*, Coogrusu
passg!theSTELAReauthorizationActof20t4(P.L. ll3-200)iwhichgivestheCommissionihaauttriityto
modiff a commercial broadcast television statiofs local television mar[et for the satetlite retransmissionit
broadcast signals. Within thls authority, the Cornmission may graflt a petition to rnodify a looA 1eleyision
rnarket, should ttle petition meet certain statutoly factorg, as dCIscdbed in P.L. tr 13-200.'As yCIu lt&w; thpse
fastors, and the iqput of f$ec.orumqnrty, aro irnpor,tantto take into consideratton asthe,.frmmission decldes
whether to grant a petition to modify a local television market" such as the one rqquested by WYMT.TV.

It is my understanding ihat'WYMtTV hts Betitioned the Comrnisrion to adjust the. starion's tetevision 1
market, with the goal of providing tlre people of Eastern Kentucky with easiir access to local news thar is more
relevant to their communities. As always, I appreciate the Commissionls cqmmitrnent.to ttrc cafef.ul
consideration of ttre matters before it. For ttrii re{rson, it is rny hope the Conrn*is,Son will cortinue this
practice, grv.e futf g{
ftir consideration of WYMT-TV's naquesi, and rdrc inro aeoounf the,sieupoints of
those who shared their input on the petition through the open comment period.

Thank you in advance for your.attention to WYMT-TVis request, and for providtng m.y ofiBce rvith an update
on the p.roceedingls status, I am appreoiative of your leadership on ruran coruruunlixi6ns matter$i and I [ope
you will continue to keep rural co.rnmunities.in mlnri throughout yow time as Chairman of the Cornmisslon

$lneerely,
ttr

* No.of Copies rec'd O

MoCONNELL LBTABCDE
LINITED STATES SENATOR

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