LPTV INDUSTRY NEWS
Wednesday - 12/3/14
While we focus in on our own woes and opportunities in LPTV land, the rest of the broadcasting and media world continues on its merry way.  Here are a few items you might have missed...

EOBC Warns About Auction Rules
If you are one of the more than 375 Class-A auction eligible LPTV licensees you should make sure you read this article.  According to the Expanding Opportunities for Broadcasters Coalition, during next week's FCC Open Meeting, the Commissioners will vote on several proposals which could dramatically change how the auction will be run.  The Coalition will be there and report back what we learn, and you can see the meeting streamed live on line also.

AWS Auction Continues To Exceed Expectations
It is hard to keep up with the daily bidding going in the AWS auction, and RCR Wireless takes us into a deep dive of the auction statistics.  I suggest you read this article just to see how the FCC is conducting the auction so that you can see what may be in store for the Incentive Auction.  $39.5 billion and climbing, with the $40 billion ceiling to be broken this week...


          

DMA AUCTION STUDIES
We are almost done with our backlog of 
DMA Auction Studies, and we have made a breakthrough which enables us to explain 
very quickly to you what might happen to your station.  These studies are based on the latest FCC auction interference data.

Check out our

Channel 6 Radio Discussion
One of the key parts of the LPTV NPRM is the discussion about how the innovative channel-6 radio services are being offered around the country by LPTV licensees.  Check out this informative overview in Radio World Online magazine.  The Coalition represents most of the channel-6 LPTV radio licensees, and considers this issue to be the "tip of the spear" for technical flexibility issues, and a bellwether for how LPTV can transition.

NAB Labs Promotes FM Radio Chips
Check out this article about how NAB Labs has been tracking the rapid introduction of FM radio chips into modern smart phones.  A very important issue related to local emergency preparedness, and something LPTV can help promote.

 


          

LPTV LEGAL DEFENSE FUND
Make sure to make your contribution to our industry's common legal defense, and be part of the movement to save LPTV.  Unless we fight the auction rules and regulations now, and in court in 2015, we will not have a lot of spectrum remaining to displace and rebuild into in 2016-2020.

How the FCC CIO plans to modernize 207 legacy IT systems
One of the biggest complaints from those of us who deal with all of the various FCC databases and IT systems is that they are all screwed up, separate silo's of content, and lack real cross-bureau research capabilities. And it would be nice if the data in them is current.  Read this excellent article about how the new FCC CIO is going to change the culture and create a much better end user experience.

Comcast/Time Warner Merger Discovery Hits A Legal Snag
Seems that the Washington State Appellate Court said that broadcasters have failed to establish their cable TV carriage prices are trade secrets under Federal law - specifically under the Uniform Trade Secrets Act (UTSA), a Federal legal framework adopted by the vast majority of U.S. states and the District of Columbia. The Appeals Court cited precedent for that decision. That might hold at the Federal level, and could open the door for full LPTV contracts disclosure for those zero-cost cable leased access contracts.

 


             

HELP US EDUCATE CONGRESS
In January the new 114th Congress will be sworn in and there will be many new Congressional staff and elected Representatives to educate about LPTV issues.  This is a crucial activity for our Coalition and we need your help to fund the state by state education process.

CTIA says that getting more spectrum for mobile is 'not going to be easy'
Check out this Fierce Wireless article about CTIA President Meredith Attwell Baker thoughts on the FCC's AWS-3 and 600 MHz incentive spectrum auctions, and how they will provide a springboard for wireless growth, but that getting more spectrum for mobile broadband beyond the auctions is going to be difficult.  This is the official trade association for the big buyers in the auction, and the same group which says that LPTV are not broadcasters!

If you are not already a member of the Coalition, or have not yet made your contribution to our LPTV Legal Defense Fund, it is time to do so.  We need all of you involved as best you can, and for as much as you can afford.  LPTV is fighting battles on all sides and it will only be by working together and funding our collective legal defense which we can all survive the Incentive Auction process.


thanks

Mike Gravino
Director
LPTV Spectrum Rights Coalition
lptvcoalition@gmail.com
(202) 604-0747
www.lptvcoalition.com