LPTV Coalition: Licensed Stations Must Have Priority

The Low Power Television (LPTV) Spectrum Rights Coalition says it can get behind the Federal Communications Commission's TV station repack plan, including its proposal to reserve a vacant channel for unlicensed use, but not if unlicensed is given priority over licensed low powers and translators. That is according to an ex parte filing on a meeting between the coalition and top incentive auction execs and bureau chiefs.

The FCC has proposed that "vacant" means a channel left over after it has found new homes for full-powers and class As in the post-incentive auction repacking of TV stations below channel 37, but not necessarily for the translators and other low powers that were not given signal protections in the incentive auction legislation. "If no priority is given" to licensed low powers and translators before a market is determined to have a "vacant" channel, the coalition told the execs, the FCC is not adhering to its public interest mandate.