1. The Incentive Auction Task Force and the Media Bureau hereby provide sixty days’
advance notice of the opening of a displacement application filing window for low power television
(LPTV), TV translator stations, and analog-to-digital replacement translators (DRT) (referred to
collectively as “LPTV/translator stations”)that were displaced by the incentive auction and repacking
process (Special Displacement Window).1 The Special Displacement Window will open on Tuesday,
April 10, 2018, and close on Tuesday, May 15, 2018, at 11:59 pm EDT. We also announce that
simultaneous with the release of this Public Notice we are releasing a channel study to assist stations in
identifying potential new channels in the repacked television bands.
2. Detailed guidance regarding eligibility criteria and the procedures and policies applicable
to the Special Displacement Window was provided in prior Incentive Auction Task Force and Media
Bureau releases.2 Interested parties are encouraged to review those items prior to filing applications in
the Special Displacement Window. We provide herein details regarding the channel study, reiterate some
of the eligibility and filing procedures for the window, and lift the displacement application filing freeze
for eligible stations.3 We also remind eligible full power television stations that they may begin filing
applications for digital-to-digital replacement translators (DTDRTs) on April 10, 2018.4
1 See In the Matter of Expanding the Economic and Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive
Auctions, Report and Order, 29 FCC Rcd 6567 (2014) (Incentive Auction R&O) (subsequent history omitted);
Incentive Auction Closing and Channel Reassignment Public Notice: The Broadcast Television Incentive Auction
Closes; Reverse Auction and Forward Auction Results Announced; Final Television Band Channel Assignments
Announced; Post-Auction Deadlines Announced, Public Notice, 32 FCC Rcd 2786 (2017) (Closing and Channel
Reassignment Public Notice).
2
See The Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau Announce Procedures for Low Power Television,
Television Translator and Replacement Translator Stations During the Post-Incentive Auction Transition, Public
Notice, 32 FCC Rcd 3860 (IATF and MB 2017) (LPTV Procedures Public Notice).; Incentive Auction Task Force
and Media Bureau Set Forth Tools Available to LPTV/Translator Stations Displaced Prior to the Special
Displacement Window, Public Notice, 32 FCC Rcd 4943 (IATF and MB 2017).
3
We note that the Commission in 2015 sought comment on whether to preserve a vacant television channel for use
by unlicensed white space devices and wireless microphones in all areas of the country. See In the Matter of
Amendment of Parts 15, 73 and 74 of the Commission’s Rules to Provide for the Preservation of One Vacant
Channel in the UHF Television Band For Use By White Space Devices and Wireless Microphones, MB Docket No.
15-146, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 30 FCC Rcd 6711 (2015). In that proceeding, the Commission proposed
that applications filed in the displacement window would have to demonstrate that they do not eliminate the last
remaining vacant channel in their proposed service area. Id. at 6719, para. 17. While the Commission has not.
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