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Articles Posted in Spectrum

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FCC Takes a Mulligan, Announces September 13 as the Start Date for Stage 2 of the Spectrum Auction

Perhaps indicating that the rapid conclusion of Stage 1 of the Incentive Auction was not a surprise to the FCC, the Commission moved with lightning speed to announce that Stage 2 of the auction will commence on September 13 with a spectrum clearing target of 114 MHz.  In a Public…

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Incentive Auction Stage 1 Falls ($66 Billion) Short of the Target—On to the Next One!

You can almost hear Agent Maxwell Smart’s trademark “Missed it by that much!”  The FCC quietly announced just after C.O.B. today that “[b]idding in the forward auction has concluded for Stage 1 without meeting the final stage rule and without meeting the conditions to trigger an extended round. The incentive…

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FCC Sets Clearing Target and Starting Date for Incentive Auction

In a long-anticipated move towards commencement of the spectrum auction, the FCC today released a Public Notice and related Appendix providing an initial clearing target of 126 Megahertz of spectrum in what is currently the broadcast television band. The 126 MHz figure represents the targeted amount of spectrum to be…

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FCC Enforcement Monitor ~ March 2016

Pillsbury’s communications lawyers have published FCC Enforcement Monitor monthly since 1999 to inform our clients of notable FCC enforcement actions against FCC license holders and others. This month’s issue includes: Noncommercial FM Broadcaster Fined $10,000 for Public Inspection File Violations TV Licensee Faces $20,000 Fine for Untimely Filing of 16…

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Broadcast Incentive Auction SecurID Tokens Are in the Mail

It’s not just high school seniors who should be waiting by the mailbox for a thick package to arrive this coming week.  All television stations that filed a Form 177 application in Auction 1001 should be looking for their Second Confidential Status Letter between today and March 22nd.  The FCC…

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FCC Releases Spectrum Auction User Guide and Online Tutorial for March 28-29 Initial Commitment Window

Today, the FCC posted to the Auction 1001 website the Reverse Auction Initial Commitment User Guide and Online Tutorial.  Broadcasters that submitted an FCC Form 177 to participate in the Reverse Auction should review these materials to gain a better understanding of how the system will work so that they…

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FCC Releases Form 177 Auction Application Instructions

The FCC today released a Public Notice with instructions for filing Form 177, the application for licensees of full-power and Class A TV stations to participate in the reverse auction. As a reminder, the FCC recently extended the application filing deadline, so the filing window now begins at noon Eastern Time on December…

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FCC Moves Spectrum Auction Application Deadline After Making Changes to Opening Bids

With little fanfare, the FCC today released a Public Notice changing the deadline for television stations to file Form 177 to participate in the spectrum auction.  The original filing window had run from December 1 to December 18.  The newly-announced window will run from 12:00 noon Eastern Time on December…

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December Filing Deadlines Are Upon Us

October has come and gone, and now the season is upon us—filing season, that is!  Though winter is coming, December will be a hot month for radio and television FCC filings. Failure to meet any of these filing deadlines could result in fines or lost opportunities, putting a real damper…

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Scary Warning Accompanies FCC Announcement of Auction Application Window

The FCC today announced the application procedures to be used for broadcast stations wishing to participate in the spectrum auction, as well as application procedures for those wishing to purchase that spectrum in the forward auction.  Of particular interest to broadcast stations wishing to participate in the reverse auction is…