A strongly bipartisan group of US Senators has written to FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler urging protection for citizens of rural America by protecting LPTV stations and TV translators ahead of the upcoming incentive auctions.
The group said, “Countless farmers and ranchers, small businesses and families living in remote areas rely on receiving over-the-air television through translators and low power televisions stations. With this is mind, we ask the FCC to minimize the impacts of repacking spectrum in rural areas following the upcoming incentive spectrum auction.”
“Translators boost the signals of local TV stations to remote areas that otherwise would be unserved by broadcasters, and in some cases are unserved by any other wired or wireless services,” they explained. “Without translators and low power television stations, many Americans would be unable to receive the latest news and emergency information, which is critical to their well-being. We look forward to working with the FCC and Congress to preserve translator service during the spectrum auction process.”
The NAB weighed in, thanking the legislators for their concern about low power television service. “We thank Sens. Tester and Hatch for their leadership and appreciate the support from this bipartisan group of Senators for preserving free, over-the-air television in rural America,” said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith.
Signing the letter were:
Jon Tester (D-MT)
Amy Klobuchar (D-MN)
Mark Begich (D-AK)
Max Baucus (D-MT)
Tim Johnson (D-SD)
Mark Udall (D-CO)
Kay R. Hagan (D-NC)
Jeff Merkley (D-OR)
Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
Dean Heller (R-NV)
John McCain (R-AN)
Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Deb Fischer (R-NE)
Michael Enzi (R-WY)
Mike Crapo (R-ID)
Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Richard Burr (R-NC)
John Barrasso (R-WY)
Mike Johanns (R-NE)
James Risch (R-ID)
John Hoeven (R-ND)
Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
