Month: March 2023

The FCC has initiated a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to implement the Low Power Protection Act (LPPA), as enacted by Congress on January 5, 2023. The LPPA provides certain low power television (LPTV) stations with a “limited window of opportunity” to apply for primary spectrum use status as Class A television stations. This Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeks comment on how to implement the window consistent with Congressional direction.

Comment Date: May 15, 2023

Reply Comment Date: June 13, 2023

2023 Application Fee Filing Guide for the Media Bureau applies to the following stations:

• Commercial Television Stations
• Class A Television Stations
• TV Translators And LPTV Stations
• Commercial AM Radio Stations
• Commercial FM Radio Stations
• FM Translator Stations
• FM Booster Stations
• CARS Stations
• Cable Special Relief Petition
• Cable Community Registration
• Aeronautical Frequency Notification
• Special Temporary Authorization

By this order the Commission temporarily stays the March 6, 2023 sunset of the requirement
for broadcaster primary streams to comply with the ATSC A/322 standard.

In 2017, the Commission authorized television broadcasters to use the Next Gen TV transmission standard, also called “ATSC 3.0” or “3.0,” on a voluntary, market-driven basis. Under Commission rules, the requirement for broadcaster primary streams to comply with the ATSC A/322 standard, defining the waveforms that ATSC 3.0 signals may take, is currently scheduled to sunset on March 6, 2023. Last June, the FCC issued the Sunsets FNPRM seeking comment on, among other things, the expiration of this rule, whether to retain the requirement and, if so, for how long. That proceeding remains pending.