The FCC has a lot of TV on its plate on its 9/30/14 Open Meeting – including a declaratory ruling on the efforts it will make to protect the coverage area and audience size of stations forced to move as a result of the incentive auction.
The declaratory ruling would appear to address NAB concerns that the FCC was taking a minimalist interpretation of congressional instructions to protect moving broadcast television stations, whereas in the NAB’s opinion congressional intent was clear that stations and audiences should suffer as little harm as possible.
The FCC is also expected to eliminate the sports blackout rule; and will address the issues of unlicensed devices and LPTV stations in regards to the auction; and will also look at wireless microphone issues.
The meeting will convene at 10:30AM Eastern.
Here is the FCC’s full agenda:
MEDIA
TITLE: Sports Blackout Rules, Report and Order (MB Docket No. 12-3)
SUMMARY: The Commission will consider a Report and Order that would eliminate the Commission’s sports blackout rules, which can prevent consumers from watching their teams’ games on local television.
INTERNATIONAL
TITLE: Comprehensive Review of Licensing and Operating Rules for Satellite Services (IB Docket No. 12-267)
SUMMARY: The Commission will consider a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to streamline and update Part 25 of the Commission’s rules, which governs licensing and operation of space stations and earth stations for the provision of satellite communication services. These proposals will streamline, clarify or eliminate numerous rule provisions and reduce regulatory burdens.
OFFICE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
TITLE: Expanding the Economic and Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions (GN Docket No. 12-268)
SUMMARY: The Commission will consider a Declaratory Ruling that clarifies that the Commission intends to make all reasonable efforts to preserve both the “coverage area” and “population served” of eligible broadcast television stations in the repacking process associated with the Incentive Auction.
OFFICE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
TITLE: Amendment of Part 15 of the Commission’s Rules for Unlicensed Operations in the Television Bands, Repurposed 600 MHz Band, 600 MHz Guard Bands and Duplex Gap, and Channel 37, and Amendment of Part 74 of the Commission’s Rules for Low Power Auxiliary Stations in the Repurposed 600 MHz Band and 600 MHz Duplex Gap; Expanding the Economic and Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions (GN Docket No. 12-268)
SUMMARY: The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to revise rules for unlicensed operations in the TV bands and new 600 MHz Band, including fixed and personal/portable white space devices and unlicensed microphones. The proposed changes and new rules are intended to allow more robust and spectrally efficient unlicensed operations without increasing the risk of harmful interference to other users.
OFFICE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY
TITLE: Promoting Spectrum Access for Wireless Microphone Operations; Expanding the Economic and Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions (GN Docket No. 12-268)
SUMMARY: The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to address the needs of wireless microphone users, while recognizing that they must share spectrum with other wireless uses in an increasingly crowded 3spectral environment.
