[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 111 (Thursday, June 9, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 37195-37196]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-13624]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[DA 16-584]


Media Bureau Announces Date by Which LPTV and TV Translator 
Stations Must Be ``Operating'' in Order To Participate in Post-
Incentive Auction Special Displacement Window

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In this document, the Media Bureau of the Federal 
Communications Commission (Commission) announces that, in order to 
participate in the post-Incentive Auction special displacement window, 
low power television (LPTV) and TV translator stations must be 
operating on the date that the Channel Reassignment Public Notice is 
released following the completion of the reverse auction.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Shaun Maher, Video Division, Media 
Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, [email protected], 
(202) 418-2324.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Incentive Auction R&O, the Commission 
delegated authority to the Media Bureau to announce, after release of 
the Channel Reassignment Public Notice and after eligible full power 
and Class A television stations have an opportunity to file 
construction permit applications for their new facilities, including an 
alternative channel or expanded facility, a limited window for 
operating LPTV and TV translator stations to submit displacement 
applications. The Commission's rules limit eligibility to file in the 
displacement window to ``operating low power TV and TV translator 
stations that are displaced . . . as a result of the broadcast 
television spectrum incentive auction.'' The Commission delegated 
authority to the Media Bureau to announce the terms of the limited 
displacement window consistent with the approach outlined in the 
Incentive Auction R&O.
    For these purposes, the Media announces that it interprets an 
``operating'' LPTV or TV translator station that is displaced as a 
result of the incentive auction to mean one that is operating on the 
date of release of the Channel Reassignment Public Notice. Moreover, 
the Media Bureau clarifies that for these purposes a station is 
``operating'' if it has licensed its authorized construction permit 
facilities or has an application for a license to cover on file with 
the Commission on that date. LPTV stations will not be required to 
actually cease operations on their current channels until well after 
the Channel Reassignment Public Notice is released. But the new full 
power and Class A channel assignments announced in the Channel 
Reassignment Public Notice and the new 600 MHz band plan announced 
contemporaneously will enable LPTV stations to determine whether they 
will eventually be required to move from their current channel to 
accommodate a new primary licensee and thus whether they would wish to 
consider filing for a displacement channel during the special 
displacement window. Determining the universe of displaced operating 
LPTV stations as of the release of the Channel Reassignment Public 
Notice will also assist the Media Bureau in identifying channels that 
can be proposed by displaced stations based on repacking and 
optimization software and issuing a public notice listing potential 
channel

[[Page 37196]]

assignments in advance of the displacement window.
    By announcing the deadline for identifying operating LPTV stations 
now, well in advance of the release of the Channel Reassignment Public 
Notice, the Media Bureau seeks to provide LPTV and TV translator 
station permittees with ``sufficient warning of this crucial deadline 
to allow them to complete construction and license permitted 
facilities.'' Permittees of digital LPTV and TV translators that are 
not operating on the date of release of the Channel Reassignment Public 
Notice will have to wait until the completion of the special 
displacement window for operating LPTV and TV translator stations 
before being able to file a displacement application and propose a 
channel from the smaller universe of unused television channels.
    The Media Bureau also reminds LPTV and TV translator permittees 
that the Commission has extended the construction deadline for new 
digital LPTV and TV translator stations to the new digital transition 
date for the LPTV and TV translator service, which is 51 months after 
the release of the Channel Reassignment Public Notice. Thus, any 
construction efforts they may make between now and release of the 
Channel Reassignment Public Notice are completely voluntary.
    This action is taken by the Chief, Media Bureau pursuant to 
authority delegated by 47 CFR 0.283 of the Commission's rules.

Federal Communications Commission.
Barbara Kreisman
Chief, Video Division, Media Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2016-13624 Filed 6-8-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 6712-01-P