By Brian Galante
Special to Radio + Television Business Report
The FCC recently moved ahead with the first major low-power television rule modifications in more than 40 years, and the updates create new opportunities for broadcasters to relocate facilities, resolve interference conflicts and expand service coverage.
Among the most active participants in this initiative is Jeff Winemiller, owner of Lowcountry 34 Media, and a familiar figure in the LPTV community. Winemiller has filed hundreds of applications to modify and expand LPTV station coverage. And, he’s turned to a Sinclair Inc. subsidiary when it comes to his selection of necessary equipment for a large segment of his deployments.
Winemiller has selected Dielectric antennas, filters and RF systems for a significant portion of his deployments, supporting new and upgraded transmission sites nationwide.
Specifically, Dielectric’s DLP and TLP low-power antenna platforms, along with its RF filters and combiners, are playing a central role in enabling these deployments. The systems allow broadcasters to implement directional antenna patterns to mitigate interference, combine multiple channels into a single transmission line and antenna, and adapt quickly to evolving FCC requirements and site constraints.
“These rule changes have completely transformed what’s possible for low-power TV ,” said Winemiller, who is expected to be at a LPTVBA day-long meeting held concurrently to the 2026 NAB Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. “We’ve gone from serving small, rural populations to potentially reaching hundreds of millions of viewers. Dielectric’s antennas and RF systems give us the flexibility to solve interference challenges, combine signals efficiently, and build cost-effective transmission sites quickly.”
The FCC’s updated framework allows LPTV operators to relocate stations closer to population centers and resolve mutual interference (MX) conflicts through antenna pattern optimization, channel changes, or cooperative agreements. This has triggered a surge in filings, with thousands of applications submitted during recent windows — including a Chicago move-in that is for sale.
Low-power TV systems typically operate at lower transmitter power levels and are often deployed on smaller structures such as cellular towers. This requires compact, efficient RF infrastructure. For Dielectric, engineering capabilities at its Raymond, Me., headquarters allow for custom antenna pattern design, the company notes.
Winemiller alone has filed more than 250 applications in the latest round.
He anticipates building out more than 200 stations over the coming years, potentially reaching up to 300 million viewers across the United States.
Dielectric will showcase its low-power TV and FM radio antenna systems and complement of software and tools for creating antenna patterns at NAB Show 2026 beginning Sunday in the Central Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. Attendees can learn more at Booth C1446.
Dielectric will also attend the National Translator Association convention at the Whitney Peak Hotel in Reno, Nev., held May 6-9.
— Additional reporting by Adam R Jacobson, in Mesa, Ariz.
