CPB funds will go toward helping public TV execs make spectrum decisions

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The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will spend $3 million to give public television executives access to expert advice on the upcoming broadcast spectrum auction.

The extremely high value of spectrum as appraised by an Oct. 1 Federal Communications Commission report, “Incentive Auction Opportunities for Broadcasters,” created a “considerable amount of confusion” among managers, said CPB’s Michael Levy. Previous estimates had been much lower. CPB now believes, based on conversations with general managers after the report was released, that “perhaps as many as 50 to 60” of those executives now feel compelled to “revisit their thinking” about whether to participate in the auction, Levy said. Stations may need additional time with attorneys, or expert assistance to determine “the realistic value of spectrum in the market they serve,” Levy said. They may need help developing strategies for auction bids or channel sharing, or technical assistance with a UHF/VHF swap. CPB is still working out details of how the $3 million will be allocated, Levy said. The corporation is talking to stations to better understand specific needs, and it’s speaking with “a number of firms to get their suggestions for how they best can help,” he said.


CPB funds will go toward helping public TV execs make spectrum decisions