As part of its efforts to diversify the ownership of the broadcast media, the FCC promised in its recent order on Localism in the media (see our summary here) to have its engineering staff come up with a computer program to help people determine where a new FM station can be allotted by the
Broadcast Auctions
Another FM Freeze in Anticipation of FM Auction 70
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 …
FCC Adopts Procedure For New FM Auction
On Friday, just as parties are getting ready to submit applications due this week for an FM auction for "leftover" channels, the FCC announced the dates and procedures for its next FM auction. The next auction will feature the 121 new FM channels listed in an appendix to the Public Notice. The Public Notice sets…
Reminder – Freeze on FM Minor Mod Applications and Opening of FM Auction Window
This article is no longer available. For more information on this topic, see Another FM Freeze in Anticipation of FM Auction 70
Further Notice on FM Auction No. 68 and A Filing Freeze on FM Mods From Nov. 6, 2006 through Nov. 13, 2006
This article is no longer available. For more information on this topic, see FCC to Consider FM Allotment Changes
New Radio Channels to Be Auctionned By FCC
On Friday, the FCC announced that it will auction 9 new FM channels on January 10. These are channels that went unpurchased in prior FM auctions – either because no one bid on the channels or because the winning bidder defaulted on its winning bid (presumably by not paying for the channel when the full payment was due).
The channels are for new stations at the following locations: Covelo and Tecopa, California; Cedar Key and Perry, Florida; Kihei, Hawaii; Outlook, Montana; Ocracoke, North Carolina; Meyersdale, Pennsylvania; and Parowan, Utah. The FCC proposed rules for the auction, here, and set out the amounts of minimum bids that it expects to collect for each of these channels, here. The exact date for the filing of the initial short form applications and the posting of the minimum bids will be announced after the final rules for the auction are adopted. Comments on the Proposed Rules and the minimum bids are due on September 6.
Perhaps most interesting is the fact that the FCC has chosen to open only this mini-window at this time. In each of the last two years, at about this time of year, the FCC has announced the opening of auction windows for large numbers of FM stations. Hundreds of stations have been auctioned in these last two years. The FCC has hundreds of FM allotments around the country that already been made but which have never been available for applications. These will be apparently be subject to auction at some later date.Continue Reading New Radio Channels to Be Auctionned By FCC