47 U.S.C. § 316 — Modification by Commission of station licenses or construction permits; burden of proof

(a)(1) The Commission can modify any station license or construction permit, for a limited time or for its whole term, if the Commission judges that doing so serves the public interest, convenience, and necessity, or would bring the license or permit into fuller compliance with this chapter or a ratified treaty. No modification order becomes final until the license or permit holder gets written notice of the proposed action and the reasons for it, and gets a reasonable chance — at least 30 days — to protest it. The only exception is when safety of life or property is involved; then the Commission can allow a shorter notice period. (2) Any other licensee or permit holder who believes the proposed action would also modify their own license or permit can protest it too, before it takes effect. (3) A protest filed under this subsection must meet the same requirements section 309 sets for petitions to deny a license. (b) In any hearing held under this section, the Commission carries both the burden of presenting evidence and the burden of proof. The one exception: on the specific question of whether the proposed action would modify the license or permit of someone described in (a)(2), the Commission itself decides how those burdens are assigned.