Marking the deadline for TV stations to signal their potential participation in the broadcast incentive auction, the National Association of Broadcasters signaled it thought a lot of stations would take the FCC up on the offer, and committed to helping the auction go off smoothly.
NAB has long argued that broadcasters should not be forced to give up spectrum, and that it is a valuable resource for future growth and innovation in the broadcast space, but a number of NAB members have also signaled their interest in participating, which does not necessarily mean getting out of the business, but could also mean sharing spectrum or moving channels.
In a statement Tuesday (Jan. 12) in advance of the 6 p.m. NYT deadline for stations to apply to the auction (though that does not commit them to participating), NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton praised the work of FCC staffers and expressed hopes for a successful outcome.
""The FCC’s staff has done a remarkable amount of work to get us to this point. NAB expects robust broadcaster participation in the reverse auction, and we hope to see similarly robust participation from wireless bidders in the forward auction," he said. "While we’ve expressed our concerns, we hope that the rules and systems the FCC has in place will ensure that this voluntary auction goes off without a hitch, and we look forward to the close of a successful auction."
NAB continues to work to make sure that will be the case.
