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Graham Brock, Inc. |
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Broadcast Technical Consultants |
| Vol. XV, No. 3 |
R. Stuart Graham, Jr. |
| March 2008
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Jefferson G. Brock |
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No Pass Through for Converters |
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Last month FCC Chairman Kevin Martin sent an open letter
to several industry trade associations regarding the
Digital TV converter boxes intended to provide service
to those who rely on direct over the air service for TV
reception following the February 17, 2009 digital
transition date. The letter indicated that many of the
new boxes do not have the ability to pass analog
transmission through to the TV receiver. While all full
service stations will be fully digital after transition,
LPTV stations are not, as of yet, required to convert.
Therefore, there may be instances where an operating
analog LPTV station will be blocked from reaching a TV
receiver, if the receiver is using a DTV to analog
converter. The Chairman asked manufacturers to install
pass through options to the boxes. He also asked cable
companies with expanded channel capability to add LPTV
stations. The letter noted that the FCC hopes to have
LPTV stations converted to digital sometime in 2012. An
existing LPTV station may now request a “flash-cut” to
digital operation on the station’s analog channel. |
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In the LPFM Rule Making the Commission indicated
that it would ask those applicants with more than
ten pending applications for FM translators filed in
the 2003 window to select only ten for
consideration. This is to reduce the mutually
exclusive groups and allow the issuance of new
permits. On March 4, 2008 the FCC issued a Public
Notice asking for a list from each applicant of the
applications to be dismissed and those to remain.
The applicants have thirty days from March 4 to
file. If they do not respond, the FCC will begin
dismissing applications based on file numbers. It is
noted that on the same day this notice was issued,
parties filed seeking reconsideration of the ten
application limit. |
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Still No Pre-Sunrise or Post-Sunset Changes |
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We just set the clocks ahead and can recall how
last year at this time the FCC attempted to make
changes to AM stations’ pre- and post-sunset
power levels It found that the modified program
they were using was over-protecting some
international stations, which eliminated several
stations’ pre-sunrise power. The program is
still not operating correctly, and stations are
continuing to operate with present
authorizations, but adjusting for the change to
daylight savings. During March 2007, the FCC
authorized stations to use April times and
powers due to the early Daylight Savings Time
conversion (DA 08-482). |
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Localism, LPFM Proposals and
More |
| WThe FCC has extended the comment period in MB
Docket 04-233 until April 28, 2008, with reply
comments due June 11, 2008. This docket considers,
among other things, whether a main studio should be
located in the community of license, whether there
should be staff present at the main studio at all
times the station is on the air, and whether a local
advisory board should be created. In the LPFM
proceeding, MM Docket 99-25, the Commission extended
the comment period until April 7, 2008, with replies
due April 21, 2008. Among the issues being
considered are whether LPFM’s should be protected by
full service stations proposing city of license
changes and whether LPFM stations should retain
secondary status to translators. Also hidden away in
a recently issued Report and Order and Third Further
Notice of Rule Making dealing with diversity in
broadcasting was a request for comments regarding
the re-allotment of TV Channels 5 and 6 (located
between 76.0 mHz and 88.0 mHz) for use as an
expanded FM band. |
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Where is Alfred Hitchcock? |
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Birds are in the news again. While the FCC
considers comments submitted in a rule making
regarding whether tower regulations should be
changed to account for yower structures’ impact
to migratory birds, the U.S. Court of Appeals
sent a case back to the Commission regarding
that very issue. The Court indicated that the
FCC did not conduct an environmental study nor
did they contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service to determine the impact to birds from
towers located in the Gulf Coast region. The
potential study would require a review of
thousands of towers along the Gulf Coast and
would not be limited to just radio and
television towers. The Court also indicated the
Commission must give advance notice of a
proposed tower, rather than just granting an
application. |
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Non-commercial MX List Released |
| The FCC has released a list of 263 groups
mutually exclusive non-commercial applications filed
during the October 2007 window. This list is limited
to groups of no more than 4 applications (some of
the other groups contain dozens of applications).
The Commission will consider settlements or share
time agreements between the applicants, provided
they are notified. Otherwise, the FCC will begin the
comparative process on the groups following a thirty
day comment period. |
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