WASHINGTON—Broadcasters’ opening bid prices are out. The Federal Communications Commission today released the opening bid price that it will offer each broadcaster in the 2016 TV spectrum incentive auction. It provides the opening bids for the three participation options: relinquishment (including channel-sharing), moving from a UHF to a VHF, or a high VHF to a low VHF.
Each was calculated based on the Aug. 11 Bidding Procedures Public Notice, and the bidding constraint data—population served and interference factor, particularly—released yesterday in the Applications Procedure Public Notice. That notice defined the broadcaster filing window for the reverse auction as noon, Dec 1, through 6 p.m. on Dec. 18.
A full-power or Class A will have to file during the filing window, set for noon, Dec. 1 through 6 p.m., Dec. 18. These applications are not binding until Marc 29, 2016, the day the reverse auction begins. Applications will not constitute a binding commitment, but after Dec. 18, no other station will be able to apply to participate in the auction.
There are a number of stations for which the commission was able to keep in the pre-auction TV band, and are defined as “not needed” in the accompanying .pdf with the opening bids for all stations, TV Technology will continue follow up on this information:
/portals/0/Reverse Auction Opening Prices 101615 Attachment.pdf
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