In a May 7 letter to the FCC, the NAB, the Advanced Television Broadcasting Alliance, the National Religious Broadcasters and the National Translator Association “urge the commission to do everything in its power to ensure that the important benefits of LPTVs and TV translators are not undermined as a result of the incentive auction.”
Broadcasters Urge Protection Of LPTVs
The FCC should consider establishing an industry working group to study ways to reduce the impact that the agency’s broadcast incentive auction next year could have on low-power TV and translator stations, said several broadcast industry groups in a letter today to the agency.
“[We] … urge the commission to do everything in its power to ensure that the important benefits of LPTVs and TV translators are not undermined as a result of the incentive auction,” said the National Association of Broadcasters, the Advanced Television Broadcasting Alliance, the National Religious Broadcasters and the National Translator Association, in a May 7 letter.
Under the incentive auction law, full-power and Class A TV broadcasters who opt not to participate in the auction are supposed to be repacked into a new channel assignment plan, and the FCC is supposed to try to protect their existing coverage areas during the reshuffling.
The auction law does not provide similar protections for LPTVs and translators.
Still, the FCC should take whatever steps it can to avoid unduly damaging the lower-power services, including the establishment of the industry working group, the broadcasters said in their letter. In addition, the broadcasters urged the FCC to refrain from trying to reclaim more spectrum than needed to create the new national frequency band for wireless services.
“Any repacking should take into account existing LPTVs and translators and to the extent possible minimize the effect of repacking on those operations,” the broadcasters added in their letter.
BRAND CONNECTIONS
“The commission should make all reasonable efforts to provide replacement channels for ‘fill-in’ translators, including digital replacement translators, which are essential for many full-power stations to reach significant portions of the populations they serve today,” the broadcasters continued.
“As was the case during the digital transition, LPTVs and translators should be able to continue to operate until wireless operations are implemented and operational,” the broadcasters also suggested.
“As the commission has long recognized, low-power television stations and TV translators play a critical role in the broadcast ecosystem,” the broadcasters said.
Comments (2)
Ellen Samrock says:
May 7, 2014 at 2:59 pm
“The auction law does not provide similar protections for LPTVs and translators.” This is not entirely true. According to the Spectrum Act regarding LPTV: “Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to alter the spectrum usage rights of low-power television stations. ” The law does provide protection for LPTV by affirming those rights that have already been accorded to the low power television service. Congress did not authorized the FCC to disenfranchise LPTV and translator stations. In fact, the FCC could have included LPTV in the incentive auction but chose not to. But as it is, the FCC must undertake all reasonable efforts to preserve LPTV and translator facilities to the greatest extent possible. THAT IS THE LAW.
Brian Bussey says:
May 8, 2014 at 1:58 pm
can’t let facts get in the way of a good head line.. we learned that you can print money by doing that on cable..just look at FAUX CABLE NEWS NETWORK