“Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”: Local news could see a windfall from the FCC’s spectrum auction

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In 2016, the Federal Communications Commission launched an auction that will allow broadcasters to sell all or parts of their broadcast spectrum, which could then be purchased by wireless carriers looking to expand their reach. Some analysts initially projected that just public TV stations could bring in as much as $2.3 billion, according to reported federal estimates. Though New Jersey lawmakers have lowered their expectations for a potential windfall, the advocacy group Free Press last month launched a campaign to encourage New Jersey and other public station license holders participating in the FCC auction to invest at least a portion of the incoming revenue in local news and information.


“Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”: Local news could see a windfall from the FCC’s spectrum auction