Gray Television and privately held SagamoreHill Broadcasting on May 21 filed a joint Petition for Rulemaking that would effectively substitute one channel for another — twice — in a Table of TV Allotments adjustment for Lubbock, Tex. Getting FCC permission for the change would effectively allow the companies to “swap” facilities, they say.
The plan, if the Media Bureau’s Video Division approves it, would see Gray-owned KCBD-11 in Lubbock, an NBC affiliate, ditch its Construction Permit for a move to digital channel 36.
Instead, Gray wants to substitute digital channel 11 for digital channel 35 for KCBD. This would align KCBD’s PSIP with its digital channel.
How would this happen? Gray would swap facilities with SagamoreHill-owned KJTV-34, the FOX affiliate serving Lubbock. It is operated by Gray through a Shared Services Agreement with SagamoreHill.
KJTV presently operates on digital channel 36, and with regulatory approval KJTV would take digital channel 35 instead.
What’s prompted the companies to move forward with the Petition for Rulemaking? Gray and SagamoreHill believe the proposal will serve the public interest because it
will allow SagamoreHill to replace KJTV-TV’s failing tube transmitter with the equipment currently used by KCBD on channel 11. Tthe cost for SagamoreHill to replace
the transmitter for KJTV-TV’s 1000 kW facility is prohibitively expensive, they state.
Because Gray had planned to invest in a new 1000 kW transmitter for KCBD on channel 36, it will be able to use the new transmitter to instead replace the failing channel 35 transmitter and operate KCBD on channel 35.1, it says.
There’s also a viewer benefit from the move: moving KJTV-TV from channel 35 to channel 11 would provide additional service to approximately 8,000 persons.
Barbara Kreisman, the FCC’s Video Division Chief, believes the plan warrants consideration. As such, a comment period has been established, with comments due 30 days after the NPRM’s publication in the Federal Register. Reply comments are due 45 days after such publication.
