To Participate or Not: The Spectrum Auction

cropped radio towerEven before the FCC raised $45 billion in the recent wireless Spectrum Auction, Public Broadcasting was in agreement – the upcoming television FCC Spectrum Auction will change the world of Public Television as we know it.

Public Media Company (PMC) sees the Auction as, potentially, the most significant opportunity to positively transform the public television system since its inception. We also recognize that, if not handled appropriately, the Auction may wreak havoc on the public’s access to noncommercial, public television programming and the system’s overall economic model. PMC has developed the tools and relationships needed to provide stations with the best possible analysis and decision making capacity for understanding, planning for and successfully navigating the Auction. Currently we are working with CPB qualified stations, their boards and licensees to assess a range of business options and prepare for the Auction.

Targeted Channel Sharing – A Market Opportunity
The Auction will yield significant new capital to sustain and grow the services provided by PBS affiliates across the country, primarily through targeted channel sharing opportunities.  Through channel sharing, two stations in a market can continue to provide their programming, while splitting the proceeds from the auction sale. Furthermore, we believe that the Auction will provide the impetus for partnerships, collaborations or full mergers between public television stations in major markets to create greater efficiency, and a higher level of public service programming for audiences.

Whether or not your station chooses to participate, the auction outcomes could directly affect your market. As public media’s leading provider of planning, acquisition and financing, PMC has the expertise to serve your station and stakeholders with as much assistance as you need, either as a trusted advisor or as a project lead throughout the pre and post auction process.

Let’s Talk
For more information or to receive a detailed outline of our pre and post auction services, contact Marc Hand directly at 303-781-5101 or marc@publicmedia.co.

About Public Media Company
Over the past thirteen years, PMC has worked with the managers and boards of more than 275 public broadcasters in developing and applying sophisticated financial and operational models to assist organizations as they plan for and execute a range of transformative organizational initiatives: mergers, acquisitions, partnerships, format changes, financings, and regional collaborations.