In Aftermath of Spectrum Auction, Even Stations That Sat Out Could Benefit

By PMC CEO Marc Hand, writing in Current: Despite eye-popping windfalls for some stations, the FCC broadcast spectrum auction was a disappointment for public media. Here’s why: Prior to the start of the auction, the prevailing wisdom was that the forward auction would generate anywhere between $30 billion and $60 billion in gross proceeds. Some experts were even more bullish — predicting numbers of...

Read More...

FCC Spectrum Auction and Channel Sharing

As we transition from the FCC spectrum auction and the FCC auction quiet period, public television stations may face unique and interesting post-auction opportunities that could allow them to improve their service, generate additional revenue, or both. To take advantage of these opportunities, however, public television stations will need to move quickly: Broadcasters will have until sometime in mid-July to file their construction permit...

Read More...

TV Broadcasters Get Another Shot at Leveraging Channels Into Cash

“The FCC’s incentive auction may not have resulted in the jackpot payday that some television broadcasters hoped for, but public broadcasters could still benefit financially through channel-sharing deals. By working out agreements to share their channels with other noncommercial and commercial broadcasters that did succeed in selling their spectrum, public TV stations have a post-auction opportunity to earn money. The nonprofit consulting firm Public...

Read More...

TV Spectrum Auction Enters Next Stage With New Bidding, Lower Prices

The first stage of the FCC reverse auction of television spectrum concluded as many analysts had predicted: Sellers’ opening bid prices were more than $60 billion higher than what the forward auction buyers were willing to pay. We believe it’s unlikely that the second stage of the auction will succeed at matching sellers’ prices to buyers’ offers. The reverse auction, which adjusts to lower...

Read More...