Sec. 1.87  Modification of license or construction permit on motion of 
          the Commission.

    (a) Whenever it appears that a station license or construction 
permit should be modified, the Commission shall notify the licensee or 
permittee in writing of the proposed action and reasons therefor, and 
afford the licensee or permittee at least thirty days to protest such 
proposed order of modification, except that, where safety of life or 
property is involved, the Commission may by order provide a shorter 
period of time.
    (b) The notification required in paragraph (a) of this section may 
be effectuated by a notice of proposed rule making in regard to a 
modification or addition of an FM or television channel to the Table of 
Allotments (Secs. 73.202 and 73.504) or Table of Assignments 
(Sec. 73.606). The Commission shall send a copy of any such notice of 
proposed rule making to the affected licensee or permittee by certified 
mail, return receipt requested.
    (c) Any other licensee or permittee who believes that its license or 
permit would be modified by the proposed action may also protest the 
proposed action before its effective date.
    (d) Any protest filed pursuant to this section shall be subject to 
the requirements of section 309 of the Communications Act of 1934, as 
amended, for petitions to deny.
    (e) In any case where a hearing is conducted pursuant to the 
provisions of this section, both the burden of proceeding with the 
introduction of evidence and the burden of proof shall be upon the 
Commission except that, with respect to any issue that pertains to the 
question of whether the proposed action would modify the license or 
permit of a person filing a protest pursuant to paragraph (c) of this 
section, such burdens shall be as described by the Commission.
    (f) In order to utilize the right to a hearing and the opportunity 
to appear and give evidence upon the issues specified in any hearing 
order, the licensee or permittee, in person or by attorney, shall, 
within the period of time as may be specified in the hearing order, file 
with the Commission a written statement stating that he or she will 
appear at the hearing and present evidence on the matters specified in 
the hearing order.
    (g) The right to file a protest or have a hearing shall, unless good 
cause is shown in a petition to be filed not later than 5 days before 
the lapse of time specified in paragraph (a) or (f) of this section, be 
deemed waived:
    (1) In case of failure to timely file the protest as required by 
paragraph (a) of this section or a written statement as required by 
paragraph (f) of this section.
    (2) In case of filing a written statement provided for in paragraph 
(f) of this section but failing to appear at the hearing, either in 
person or by counsel.
    (h) Where the right to file a protest or have a hearing is waived, 
the licensee or permittee will be deemed to have consented to the 
modification as proposed and a final decision may be issued by the 
Commission accordingly. Irrespective of any waiver as provided for in 
paragraph (g) of this section or failure by the licensee or permittee to 
raise a substantial and material question of fact concerning the 
proposed modification in his protest, the Commission may, on its own 
motion, designate the proposed modification for hearing in accordance 
with this section.
    (i) Any order of modification issued pursuant to this section shall 
include a statement of the findings and the grounds and reasons 
therefor, shall

[[Page 118]]

specify the effective date of the modification, and shall be served on 
the licensee or permittee.
[ 52 FR 22654 , June 15, 1987]