WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Office of Economics and Analytics (OEA) and the Media
Bureau of the FCC have identified two mutually exclusive short-form applications to participate in Auction 111.
Here’s what happens next, with settlement agreements due by November 30.
If the applicants want to resolve their mutual exclusivity without competitive bidding, they will need to file any withdrawal request or request for approval of a settlement agreement on or before that date.
The OEA and Media Bureau revealed the two MX applications in a public notice that also removes 16 construction permits from Auction 111. Why? Mutually exclusive short-form applications were not filed for those construction permits.
MX Group 21 is the sole remaining MX Group to be resolved via Auction 111.
The two mutually exclusive short-form applications for MX Group 21 that were received for Auction 111 are as follows:
This pits Paul Koplin and his VTG against Ravi Kapur, the entrepreneur behind Diya TV and his Major Market Broadcasting operation.
Unless the mutual exclusivity is resolved during the limited settlement period, the applicants can’t obtain its proposed construction permit without completing the remaining steps to become qualified to bid in the auction and placing a bid, even if the other auction applicant in MX Group 21 does not become qualified to bid or in fact place a bid.
The OEA and Media Bureau also listed singleton applications and settled applications in an attachment accompanying the public notice.
