System/Policy
FCC proposal to allow sales of EBS spectrum gets thumbs-down from public TV
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Representatives of stations told FCC officials that allowing sales of the educational spectrum could create a “hostile leasing environment.”
Current (https://current.org/author/doug-halonen/)
Representatives of stations told FCC officials that allowing sales of the educational spectrum could create a “hostile leasing environment.”
The commission declined to reimburse wireless provider T-Mobile and left reimbursing radio stations a lower priority.
NPR said the proposal by the C-Band Alliance “offers a workable, if yet unproven option” for resolving the matter.
NPR has urged the FCC to protect public broadcasters using the spectrum to distribute programming.
Local stations “have limited financial and operational resources to absorb the impact of the TV repack,” NPR said in FCC comments.
The commission is considering rule changes that could give educational institutions and some public broadcasters more flexibility to make money from frequencies in the EBS band.
The network has told the FCC that the plan could interfere with delivery of public radio programs to stations.
PBS, CPB and American’s Public Television Stations said in an FCC filing that they recognize the commission is “not inclined” to back the must-carry requirement proposed by Public Media Co.
TV broadcasters want the FCC to allow them to use vacant channels for the simulcasts required during ATSC 3.0 rollout.