FCC Full Power TV and Class A Filing Freezes Lifted

Posted on November 30th, 2020 by

On November 27, 2020, the FCC’s long-running freezes on certain types of television station applications ended.  Modification applications that increase a full power or Class A station’s service area beyond an area that is already served can now be filed, as can petitions for rulemaking to change channels in the DTV Table of Allotments or for new DTV allotments, channel swaps, or to change communities of license.

The end of these freezes raises the potential for low power and TV translator stations to be displaced by these filings due to their secondary status.  If that occurs, low power television and television translator stations can readily file for relief as there are currently no freezes on low power or translator stations filing minor modification, displacement, or digital companion channel application. A freeze does remain on the filing of applications for new LPTV/translator stations.