Radio stations that share towers with TV stations affected by the upcoming spectrum repack shouldn’t have to wait for their equipment reimbursement funding and they should know now what they face in terms of the move. So says Patrick McFadden, an NAB associate general counsel.
The industry doesn’t have a full picture yet as to which TV stations will move to new channels, he says in a blog, and that’s an issue for radio. “Many towers that are home to repacked television stations are also home to FM radio stations, which are not being repacked.”
As for repack expenses, there’s no mechanism now for an FM owner to be directly reimbursed for any tower or antenna work. Inside Towers reported the television station actually needs to get the money and then share that with the FM owner.
“It seems reasonable to us that, if an FM station, an innocent bystander to the repack, needs to construct alternative facilities to stay on the air during repacking work performed on a nearby television station, this should be considered a reasonable expense associated with the repack,” writes McFadden. “The FCC disagreed, citing the language of the legislation authorizing the incentive auction.”
Work on nearby television antennas may require FM stations to reduce power, or seek alternate facilities. A repacking plan that does not take FM stations into consideration risks depriving listeners of local radio on which they rely, according to McFadden, who adds: “The right answer is to coordinate repacking efforts to minimize disruption, while also reimbursing bystander stations for costs they incur to maintain service – not to make them collateral damage.”
The FCC has confidentially informed television stations of their new channel assignments, and in April the FCC is expected to release this information publicly. “A balanced, reasonable repacking plan will treat all stakeholders fairly, including all affected broadcast stations, whether they are repacked or not,” says McFadden.
March 1, 2017
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