NABOB to FCC: Put Vacant Channel Decision on Hold

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The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) has told the Federal Communications Commission that reserving the last vacant channel, or even two channels, for unlicensed in the repack of broadcast spectrum after the incentive auction could potentially harm African American and other minority TV station ownership. It wants the FCC to hold off making a decision on the proposal until the FCC has conducted the auction and repacked full-power stations. The FCC has proposed that, where repacking existing stations leaves open channels, at least one should be reserved for unlicensed use. That, of course, would foreclose a new broadcast channel—perhaps minority owned—in those markets. It could also potentially displace most low powers—all but Class As—whose channels are not protected in the repack. NABOB points out that there are only 9 African American-owned full power stations (six tenths of one percent) and 24 LPTVs in the entire country.


NABOB to FCC: Put Vacant Channel Decision on Hold