The FCC should examine the costs and effects...
The FCC should examine the costs and effects of the freeze on station modifications to Class A and full-power status, the NAB told the Media Bureau in a meeting Monday, according to an ex parte letter filed with the FCC…
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(http://bit.ly/10qn9JV). “There has not yet been an adequate examination of the true costs and benefits of such a freeze, including its impact on related industries beyond broadcasters and their viewers,” said the NAB. The trade association said if the FCC won’t lift the entire freeze, a partial relaxation would be preferable to the current situation. “There is no reason to impose a freeze on modifications for the entire industry if the Bureau is concerned only about a few stations,” said the NAB. “For example, to the extent that the Bureau is primarily concerned about modifications to UHF stations, the freeze should not be applied to VHF stations hoping to replicate pre-DTV transition coverage areas.” The NAB suggested the agency release an order on the freeze before taking up the larger issue of the incentive auction as a whole.