Public television spectrum valued at up to $6.8 billion in FCC auction

A recently completed computer simulation commissioned by Public Media Company from CRA International Inc. predicts that television spectrum held by public TV stations could be valued at as much as $6.8 billion in the Federal Communications Commission auction taking place in 2016. Actual outcomes of the auction will vary based upon which stations participate, as well as the amount of broadcast spectrum the FCC decides to purchase, or “clear,” from stations in each market.

The computer simulation uses information publicly released by the FCC and proprietary models developed by CRA to estimate actual potential auction prices for each television station in the country. Under its agreement with CRA, PMC is able to offer projected auction prices to all public television stations. The reports that PMC provides include projected prices for all of the stations in the client station’s designated market area.