5G Broadcast, a technology that is starting to be tested by US low-power TV stations, took a big, official step forward. 3GPP on Friday formally published the technical specs for 5G Broadcast in version 18.3.0 of the specs for 36.101 (Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access, or E-UTRA). The updated specs show approval for “LTE based 5G terrestrial broadcast” to operate in a new 108 band (470MHz – 698MHz). This effectively makes all U.S. low-power UHF stations 3GPP-eligible to broadcast in 5G.
The FCC has granted low-power WWOO-LD Westmoreland, N.H., special temporary authority to test 5G broadcasts. LPTV stations are looking to leapfrog the ATSC 3.0 standard’s data offload potential with what is being billed as “5G broadcasting.” “Anybody who has been frustrated in a crowded football stadium trying to watch the game on a phone can understand the value of sending out on-demand streams and data via broadcast,” Preston Padden, long-time industry executive and chief strategic officer of the LPTV Broadcasters Association, has said of the effort to turn LPTVs into turnkey 5G players.
Mako Communications, a Texas limited liability company, has agreed to sell the construction permit for low-power television station K07AAJ-D (Facility ID No.181741), Bakersfield, Calif., to Roseland Broadcasting. The sale price […]
Castelli Media has closed on the purchase of the following construction permits: W19EW-D FCC ID: 181944 Evansville, IN; W10DG-D FCC ID: 181941, Evansville, IN; and K35PJ-D FCC ID: 182067 Santa […]
The FCC has fined a low-power TV station $60,000 for passing off paid appearances as news appearances, violating the FCC’s sponsorship identification rules. The FCC’s Media Bureau entered into a consent decree earlier this month with Reynolds Media over segments in what was purported to be a news and public affairs program on Reynolds Media’s K26GS-D Harrison, Ark.
Marquee Broadcasting Kentucky Inc. has closed on the purchase of the construction permit for W16EI-D Bowling Green, Ky., from King Forward Inc. The purchase price was $30,000. Bob Heymann of […]
Exclusives
Mako Communications, a Texas limited liability company, has agreed to sell the construction permits for low-power television stations K28QM-D Beaumont, Texas, and K25QM-D Palm Springs, Calif., to Major Market Broadcasting […]
ARK Multicasting is taking low-power television to the next level with ATSC 3.0, and ARK has selected Dielectric as its main antenna provider. Dielectric has built and stored Powerlite Series antennas for nearly 50 ARK stations, most of which operate on UHF frequencies impacted by […]
Evoca TV, which is using the ATSC 3.0 transmission standard to broadcast its all-IP OTT pay TV service in smaller markets using low-power TV’s, is looking to power up through the FCC’s upcoming auction of new TV station construction permits.
James Porter, a veteran of the TV industry and former senior vice president, media systems and IT development of STARZ Entertainment, has joined Intrigue TV in the newly created role […]
The Biden Administration is telling a federal court that low power TVs are not eligible for satellite must-carry and it should reject a challenge to a clear statutory directive to that effect.
Dielectric is preparing for brisk business in the final stretch of the FCC’s Broadcast Incentive Auction, or spectrum repack, which will relocate displaced low-power TV, TV translator and FM stations to new frequencies by […]
The new organization’s inaugural reception to be held in Las Vegas at the NAB Show on Oct. 10.
TV transactions of late have also included deals involving unbuilt low-power TV stations. With a sign-on deadline of Tuesday, time is rapidly ticking for those seeking to spin these facilities and cash out. Then, there’s a group of LPTVs for sale that are a bit unique. How so? They don’t need to be built until 2023.
Low-power TV stations continue to contend with FCC initiatives to move to new channels and convert to digital operations, while interest grows in using LPTV sticks to transmit in the ATSC 3.0 standard. Above, Comark E-Compact transmitters.
The FCC has issued a Public Notice reminding analog low-power television licensees that all analog transmissions must cease by July 13, 2021, and that deadline will not be extended or waived.
Hitachi Kokusai Electric Comark, a manufacturer and supplier of DTV transmitters, encoding systems and associated field services for over 45 years, has introduced the E-Compact EC702MP-BB3 (250W) and EC704MP-BB3 (500W) […]
UHF super-turnstile antennas manufacturer Kathrein has added to its line of omnidirectional super-turnstile antennas, introducing a new model with elliptical and circular capabilities for NextGen TV and LPTV applications. The […]
The FCC’s Media Bureau is seeking comment on whether analog LPTV stations should be able to continue to program an analog radio service after the deadline to switch to digital.
LPTV Industry Association Announces Award Winners
The Advanced Television Broadcasting Alliance (ATBA) hosted the Fifth Annual Low Power Television and Translator Industry Awards during the Annual Low Power Television Industry Association Reception and Awards during the […]
LPTV-Translator Relief Freeze Lifted
The FCC has announced that it will lift its 9-year old freeze on applications for displacement relief and digital companion channels by low-power television and TV translator stations. Applications will be accepted starting April 18.
The commission authorizes the reimbursement of low-power television, TV translator and FM broadcast stations for costs incurred as a result of the broadcast television spectrum incentive auction repack.
FCC Opens LPTV, Translator Settlement Window
The FCC on Tuesday released a public notice announcing a settlement window for mutually exclusive applicants in the Special Displacement Window where LPTV stations and TV translators were displaced by the incentive auction.
Investor Philip Falcone’s HC2 Broadcasting is buying up low-power stations that when aggregated and leveraged with OTT, cloud technology and the new ATSC 3.0 broadcast standard — will offer a near-national platform that he hopes will be attractive to cord-cutters and advertisers.
Rebecca Hanson will be responsible for the legal and regulatory operations of HC2’s growing portfolio of mostly low-power TV stations, including the transition to the new ATSC 3.0 standard and related broadcast innovations.
LPTV/Translator Filing Window Opens April 10
In case you forgot, this a reminder to low-power television and TV rranslator broadcasters of the FCC’s Special Displacement Window for LPTV Stations. This 60-day filing window opens up on Tuesday, April 10, and lasts through Tuesday, May 15, at 11:59 p.m. ET. This special window is limited to applications to change channels, which may be filed only by operating LPTV stations and TV translators being displaced from their current channel as a result of the TV spectrum repack.
The association tells the FCC that “Microsoft is asking the commission to grant it spectrum for free, with no buildout requirements or service requirements of any kind — substantially better terms than winning auction bidders received.”
T-Mobile says it is offering to pay moving costs for low-power stations “that operate on a secondary basis and are unable to obtain a permanent channel in time to accommodate T-Mobile’s rapid deployment of broadband service in the 600 MHz band.”
T-Mobile has committed to covering the costs for local public television low-power facilities that are required to relocate to new broadcasting frequencies following the government’s recent spectrum incentive auction.
While the FCC will open a limited window for displaced LPTV and translator stations to apply to operate on new channels, some stations may be forced off the air before the application window opens, which could potentially deprive tens of thousands of viewers of access to local TV signals as a result, NAB says.
FCC Details LPTV New Channel Window
The FCC will open a displacement window for LPTV stations and TV translators after full-power stations that were repacked as a result of the incentive auction have had their own windows when they can request alternative channels or increased facilities. It looks like the LPTV window will be announced at the end of this year.
The commission wants to charge the operators of a low-power TV station in Morehead, Ky., $144,344 for operating without a valid license after they failed to renew their license and ignored FCC warnings.
Edge Spectrum Inc. (ESI) announced today the acquisition of 60 operating low-power television stations and 10 LPTV construction permits from Three Angels Broadcasting Network (3ABN) in a move that the companies said “will […]
Final Latch Secured On LPTV Freezer
The FCC has announced that effective immediately, it will no longer accept applications for construction permits for new digital companion channels filed by analog low-power television stations. While this article refers to only LPTV stations, TV translators are subject to all the same rules and to the new freeze.
A federal court on Tuesday ruled against a challenge to part of the FCC’s ongoing process of reassigning TV spectrum to mobile providers and the resulting repack of the TV band. The Appeals Court in Washington denied a challenge from Mako Communications, an LPTV operator, to the FCC’s decision not to extend protections to its operations following the repack. The court said that the FCC’s decision not to offer the protections did not change the rights of LPTV broadcasters, since full-power stations already have priority when it comes to using wireless spectrum.
