Broadcasters will want to make sure their name (as in call letters) is on a just-released FCC list of TV stations that are eligible to participate in the upcoming incentive auction and to have their facilities protected from interference afterwards in the spectrum repack if they choose to remain on the air.
The list is of all full-power and class A TV stations that, as of the May 29 deadline, were licensed or had an application for a license to cover a construction permit on file.
While the FCC says the list is supposed to be complete and include every eligible station, the FCC signaled it would be a good idea to double check. Low powers, except for class As, and translators are not eligible for the auction or repacking protections, but everyone else with a license or CP and application filed by May 29 should be on the list.
"While the attached Appendix is intended to represent a complete list of all Class A and full power station facilities eligible for protection in the repacking process and relinquishment in the reverse auction," the Media Bureau said, "if a licensee believes that the Appendix omits an eligible facility, it should file with the Commission a “Petition for Eligible Entity Status” by July 9, 2015.
The petition must spell out why they think they should be on the list.
Broadcasters should use the PDF version of the list rather than the online version that first comes up from the link on the home page, whose formatting at press time made it difficult to read (the FCC has been having some online formatting issues, but is working on them).
