NAB Reiterates Repack Concerns To Pai

NAB officials met with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai this week to address broadcasters’ concerns surrounding the repack of broadcast TV stations following the incentive auction.

On April 4, NAB CEO Gordon Smith; Rick Kaplan, EVP of legal and regulatory affairs; and Patrick McFadden, NAB’s associate general counsel, met with Pai, his Chief of Staff Matthew Berry, and his Acting Media Advisor Alison Nemeth.

NAB said it emphasized that it appreciates the efforts of commission staff both with respect to successfully closing the auction and designing a scheduling plan for assigning repacked stations to transition phases following the auction.

However, NAB said it remains concerned that under the commission’s existing rule broadcasters are required to cease operation on their pre-auction channels after 39 months, without exception. Further, under the existing scheduling plan, the Media Bureau “does not intend to grant requests [to waive deadlines] that would disrupt the transition.”

These rules, NAB said, may result in viewers losing service despite the best efforts of broadcasters, vendors and commission staff.

NAB is also concerned that the transition plan does not take into account the potentially significant impact the repack will have on non-repacked broadcasters, including FM stations. These stations and their listeners “are threatened with potential service disruptions despite the fact that they have nothing whatsoever to do with the auction,” it said.

NAB said it continues to urge the commission “to adopt a flexible, balanced approach to repacking that is fair to all stakeholders, while avoiding disruption to existing broadcast services.”