Oscar C. Hirsch, who brought radio to the Cape Girardeau, Mo.-Paducah, Ky. market in 1925, brought its then-sibling TV station to life on October 3, 1954. Now owned by Gray Television, a plan designed to bring the facility fully into the digital age has been approved by the FCC. But, more time is needed to build out the new facility.
KFVS-12, the market’s CBS affiliate with The CW Network on its DT2 signal, currently uses digital channel 11. That’s inferior to a UHF channel in today’s digital world, and Gray in May 2021 was given Media Bureau approval to substitute VHF Channel 11 for VHF Channel 32 at Cape Girardeau in the Table of TV Allotments.
The expiration date for making the shift was June 23. On June 7, Gray submitted a petition for rulemaking with the Media Division’s Video Bureau, led by Barbara Kreisman, seeking to allow it to continue operating on Channel 11, as it was unable to meet the deadline.
In essence, Gray now wants to substitute Channel 32 for Channel 11 in the Table of Allotments, allowing it to stay right where it is absent a waiver or, worse, broadcasting in violation of FCC rules.
The Commission says the plan warrants consideration. As such, a Comment Date of 30 days after publication of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Federal Register has been set. A Reply Comment Date is 45 days after such publication.
