The NAB says 678 radio stations might be affected by the television auction “repack,” and Reps. Bill Flores (R-TX) and Gene Green (D-TX) are asking the House Appropriations Committee to include funds in the 2018 appropriations bill to reimburse radio stations for any “unintended and unavoidable” expenses incurred due to the “repack.”
In 2012, Congress directed the FCC to conduct an auction to make broadcast television spectrum available for wireless companies to expand and improve their wireless broadband services. In addition to compensating those TV broadcasters participating in the auction, Congress also determined that any TV broadcasters whose operations would be adversely impacted by the transfer of spectrum — through a complex frequency-shifting process known as the “repack” — should also be reimbursed. The repack may affect 678 radio station that have transmitters co-located on TV towers. Those stations must shift, cease, or scale back their operations while tower crews complete the work for the television stations.
