The Federal Communications Commission may yet have to settle the increasingly
ugly interference dispute between WBOC-TV Salisbury, Md., and WHRO-DT Hampton
Roads, Va.
After reducing power on its new digital station during initial negotiations,
WHRO is back to maximum power. WBOC claimed that the high-power levels and the ease
with which TV signals travel over water creates interference throughout its
market.
Both stations use channel 16, and both supplied the FCC with differing
interpretations of a recent engineering study detailing interference to WBOC
viewers.
Although WBOC managed to eliminate interference over cable, roughly 40
percent of its market isn't served by cable. "I can't survive a zero rating in
40 percent of my market," WBOC owner Tom Draper said. Still, he conceded that
WHRO is within the current rules. The problem, he added" "The rules don't work"
for digital TV.
