The FCC has moved ahead with two Notices of Proposed Rulemaking that will effectively unwind an effort from Gray Media to shift a pair of its television stations from VHF signals to UHF channels, as the company has run out of time to do it.
On May 5, 2021, the Video Division of the Media Bureau under the direction of Barbara Kreisman allowed Gray to substitute digital Channel 24 for Channel 9 in Henderson, Nev., for the use of KVVU-TV “FOX 5” in Las Vegas. It is a station Gray acquired in its merger with Meredith Local Media.
However, Gray no longer plans to pursue construction of the proposed Channel 24 facility.
Concurrently, Gray is giving up on plans to substitute VHF channel 12 for UHF channel 21 in Portland, Ore., on the grounds that it is unable to construct the new facility by the August 10, 2025 deadline. This will keep KPTV-TV “FOX 12” in Portland, Ore., on its current facility.
However, the FCC requires public comment on each of Gray’s petitions to stay on the VHF signals for each station. As such, a comment period will begin 30 days after the publication of each NPRM in the Federal Register. A Reply Comment Date has been scheduled for 45 days after such publication.
