The FCC has announced that there will be a freeze on the filing of all FM minor change applications during the filing window for the initial applications (on Form 175 ) for Auction 70. We gave more details on the upcoming auction in a posting last week. The filing window, for an auction of 121 new FM channels, will open on December 6, 2006 and close on December 19, 2006. In addition to the freeze on all FM minor change applications during the filing window, a freeze on any proposal to amend the FM Table of Allotments for any of the 121 channels goes into effect immediately, and will last through the Auction 70 filing window.
The freeze will allow Auction 70 applicants to select transmitter sites without fear of the allowable area for their transmitter site changing beneath them as they plan their filings. Auction applicants can, but don’t need to, specify in their Form 175 applications a particular site that they will use if they are the successful bidder in the auction. This allows auction applicants to protect preferred sites as, following the close of the Form 175 application filing window, the Media Bureau will not accept any applications or counterproposals which do not fully protect preferred site coordinates specified in Auction No. 70 Form 175 applications.
A copy of the Commission’s Public Notice on the freeze can be found here.