Numerous broadcast interests backed NAB's petition to clarify how multicast streams of TV stations simulcasting in the ATSC 3.0 transition will be treated under FCC licensing rule (see 2011100067). Public TV participation in next-generation broadcasting has been hampered and public stations might not get all the public interest benefits of ATSC 3.0 due to a problem with the 2017 ATSC 3.0 order, PBS and America’s Public Television Stations said Monday in docket 16-142. Public stations shouldn't have to choose between continuing to broadcast their existing multicast streams and taking part in next-gen key deployments, they said, backing NAB's petition for clarification on multicast streams and simulcasting. Those NAB-sought clarifications are needed so stations can "allocate scarce spectrum resources to meet consumer demand" during the years of transitioning to ATSC 3.0, Gray Television said. It said if not by clarification, the FCC should establish by rulemaking that a station transitioning to ATSC 3.0 can partner with one or more stations to host its multicast channels in ATSC 1.0 even where it won't simulcast all of those channels on its ATSC 3.0 signal. Those also filing comments in recent days backing NAB included Graham, Pearl and E.W. Scripps.
Waiving the nine-year-old freeze on rulemaking petitions from full-power television stations requesting channel substitutions, the FCC Media Bureau granted Sander's petition to move KGW Portland, Oregon, from channel 8 to channel 26, says Monday's Federal Register. The bureau said the substitution "will permit the station to better serve its viewers, who have experienced reception problems with VHF channel 8."
Nexstar Media began broadcasting in ATSC 3.0 on its Denver stations KDVR and KWGN-TV, it said Wednesday. When all 2021 deployments of 3.0 are done, about a third of TV households reached by a Nexstar station will receive a NextGenTV signal, said Brett Jenkins, Nexstar executive vice president-chief technology officer.
Nexstar's WGN America cable network will be part of the Hulu + Live TV lineup starting Jan. 19, Nexstar said Friday. This restores Nexstar’s ABC-affiliated stations, the broadcaster said. It follows similar agreements with YouTube TV and fuboTV (see report, Dec. 14 issue).
Maintain the waiver process rather than relax rules to let broadcasters use ATSC 3.0 distributed transmission systems (see 2012110052), said New America’s Open Technology Institute in a call with an aide to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks Monday, per an FCC filing posted Thursday in docket 20-74. Proposed changes would “undermine the Commission’s recent Report and Order that expands rural broadband access leveraging television white space devices,” OTI said. If DTS deployments with more than minimum spillover beyond a station’s current contour are allowed, FCC should say such transmissions are unlicensed and don’t get interference protection, OTI said.
Nexstar will buy consumer product rating company BestReviews from Tribune Publishing for $160 million, Nexstar announced Wednesday. Nexstar plans to “quickly scale” the online review service “through increased content syndication and brand awareness,” Chief Financial Officer Tom Carter said. This means a substantial return on Tribune’s investment, Noble Capital Markets’ Michael Kupinski emailed investors Thursday. The deal is expected to close by year-end.
FCC OK'ing all-digital AM operation takes effect Jan. 4, said a public notice Thursday. The changes, which include a voluntary transition and don't alter interference rules, were unanimously approved in October (see 2010270035).
The FCC should narrowly tailor new rules on sponsorship identification requirements for foreign-government-supplied content (see 2009150059), said NAB in a call with Media Bureau staff Tuesday, according to a filing posted Thursday in docket 20-299. The agency “may inadvertently sweep in other content, unduly burdening speech and creating unjustified compliance burdens,” NAB said. The group asked why the proposed rules apply only to broadcasters and not those who have either not demonstrated an ability in the past to be free from foreign influence (e.g., certain online platforms) or are similarly situated to broadcasters (e.g., MVPDs).”
The FCC Enforcement Bureau went after owners of properties hosting pirate broadcasting operations, flexing new powers enabled by the Preventing Illegal Radio Abuse Through Enforcement Act. “It is unacceptable -- and plainly illegal under the new law -- for landlords and property managers to simply opt to ignore pirate radio operation,” Bureau Chief Rosemary Harold said Thursday. “Parties that knowingly facilitate illegal broadcasting on their property are liable for fines of up to $2 million.” The bureau sent out a new type of notice, called a notice of illegal pirate radio broadcasting, to two New York property managers. Bronstein Properties received one and Benedict Realty Group two (here and here), for three city buildings that the agency said host pirate radio operations. The notices give the companies 10 days to respond, warning that failure to do so could still lead to the determination that the companies knowingly allowed an unlicensed radio station to operate. The bureau released an order Thursday implementing provisions of the Pirate Act, including fines for property owners and a section allowing the agency to proceed immediately to skip the “notice of violation” stage. “We move directly to an order here because implementation of new section 511 entails no exercise of our administrative discretion and, therefore, notice and comment procedures are unnecessary,” the order said.
The FCC Media Bureau seeks comment on the University of Missouri’s request to change its KOMU-TV Columbia from VHF channel 8 to UHF channel 27, said an NPRM Wednesday. The station “regularly receives complaints from viewers who report being able to receive all other signals in the market, including a low power television station operating on a UHF channel, but not KOMU-TV,” the NPRM said.