FCC Grants Alabama Station 2nd DTV Signal

The Federal Communications Commission will allow an Alabama station to broadcast two digital signals in the immediate run-up to the DTV transition, in part to show that it is willing to be flexible and work with broadcasters. The FCC is giving CBS affiliate WAKA-DTV in Selma special temporary authority to begin operating on its post-transition digital channel a month before the transition. It has been operating a digital signal already, per FCC requirement, on channel 55. But as with a number of other stations, it is moving to a different digital channel (42) after the transition. WAKA is pulling the plug on analog early as well, on Dec. 1. The station asked to broadcast on channel 42 a month early because it said it would make it easier to set up cable and satellite carriage for the new channel. It also asked to be able to broadcast on its new digital channel at reduced power to make it easier to transition its equipment from the old and new channel, saying the alternative would be to pull the plug on its DTV signal on the pre-transition channel (55) for as long as a month. Since it is pulling the plug on analog on Dec. 1--it didn't say why it had to do that--it would essentially be going dark for that period. The FCC said that it was in the public interest to prevent that loss of service and to allow for reduced power due to "unique technical challenges" and pointed out that most of the affected viewers would be able to receive another CBS affiliate. It also said if there are any problems, it could terminate the order. FCC Commissioner Michael Copps said, "It is not clear to me that this is the optimal solution to the admittedly difficult transitional issues raised by WAKA. But neither the station nor the Bureau has identified a better option. Given that the transition is now less than 90 days away-and, indeed, WAKA has already begun providing viewer notification of the termination of its analog signal-I concur in the result as proposed." Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein also approved the action saying "it is important for us to send a clear message to broadcasters that the Commission and staff are poised to provide them with the necessary flexibility to upgrade their facilities to digital and serve their viewers."