47 C.F.R. Subpart J—Class A Television Broadcast Stations
Title 47 - Telecommunication
Source: 65 FR 30009, May 10, 2000, unless otherwise noted.
Locally produced programming. For the purpose of this subpart, locally produced programming is programming: (1) Produced within the predicted Grade B contour of the station broadcasting the program or within the contiguous predicted Grade B contours of any of the stations in a commonly owned group; or (2) Produced within the predicted DTV noise-limited contour (see §73.622(e) of this part) of a digital Class A station broadcasting the program or within the contiguous predicted DTV noise-limited contours of any of the digital Class A stations in a commonly owned group; or (3) Programming produced at the station's main studio. Note to §73.6000: See Report and Order, In the Matter of Establishment of a Class A Television Service, MM Docket No. 00–10, released April 4, 2000; Memorandum Opinion and Order on Reconsideration, In the Matter of Establishment of a Class A Television Service, MM Docket No. 00–10, released April 13, 2001. [66 FR 21690, May 1, 2001, as amended at 69 FR 69330, Nov. 29, 2004] (a) Qualified low power television licensees which, during the 90-day period ending November 28, 1999, operated their stations in a manner consistent with the programming and operational standards set forth in the Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1999, may be accorded primary status as Class A television licensees. (b) Class A television broadcast stations are required to: (1) Broadcast a minimum of 18 hours per day; and (2) Broadcast an average of at least three hours per week of locally produced programming each quarter. (c) Licensed Class A television broadcast stations shall be accorded primary status as a television broadcaster as long as the station continues to meet the minimum operating requirements for Class A status. (d) Licensees unable to continue to meet the minimum operating requirements for Class A television stations, or which elect to revert to low power television status, shall promptly notify the Commission, in writing, and request a change in status. (a) A Class A television broadcast license will only be issued to a qualified low power television licensee that: (1) Filed a Statement of Eligibility for Class A Low Power Television Station Status on or before January 28, 2000, which was granted by the Commission; and (2) Files an acceptable application for a Class A Television license (FCC Form 302–CA).
Title 47: Telecommunication
PART 73—RADIO BROADCAST SERVICES
Subpart J—Class A Television Broadcast Stations
§ 73.6000 Definitions.
§ 73.6001 Eligibility and service requirements.
§ 73.6002 Licensing requirements.
§§ 73.6003-73.6005 [Reserved]
§ 73.6006 Channel assignments.
Class A TV stations will not be authorized on UHF TV channels 52 through 69, or on channels unavailable for TV broadcast station use pursuant to §73.603 of this part.
§ 73.6007 Power limitations.
An application to change the facilities of an existing Class A TV station will not be accepted if it requests an effective radiated power that exceeds the power limitation specified in §74.735 of this chapter.
§ 73.6008 Distance computations.
The distance between two reference points must be calculated in accordance with §73.208(c) of this part.
§ 73.6010 Class A TV station protected contour.
(a) A Class A TV station will be protected from interference within the following predicted signal contours:
(1) 62 dBu for stations on Channels 2 through 6;
(2) 68 dBu for stations on Channels 7 through 13; and
(3) 74 dBu for stations on Channels 14 through 51.
(b) The Class A TV station protected contour is calculated from the effective radiated power and antenna height above average terrain, using the F(50,50) charts of Figure 9, 10 or 10b of §73.699 of this part.
(c) A digital Class A TV station will be protected from interference within the following predicted signal contours:
(1) 43 dBu for stations on Channels 2 through 6;
(2) 48 dBu for stations on Channels 7 through 13; and
(3) 51 dBu for stations on Channels 14 through 51.
(d) The digital Class A TV station protected contour is calculated from the effective radiated power and antenna height above average terrain, using the F(50,90) signal propagation method specified in §73.625(b)(1) of this part.
§ 73.6011 Protection of TV broadcast stations.
Class A TV stations must protect authorized TV broadcast stations, applications for minor changes in authorized TV broadcast stations filed on or before November 29, 1999, and applications for new TV broadcast stations that had been cut-off without competing applications or that were the winning bidder in a TV broadcast station auction as of that date, or that were the proposed remaining applicant in a group of mutually-exclusive applications for which a settlement agreement was on file as of that date. Protection of these stations and applications must be based on the requirements specified in §74.705 of this chapter. An application to change the facilities of an existing Class A TV station will not be accepted if it fails to protect these TV broadcast stations and applications pursuant to the requirements specified in §74.705 of this chapter.
§ 73.6012 Protection of Class A TV, low power TV and TV translator stations.
An application to change the facilities of an existing Class A TV station will not be accepted if it fails to protect other authorized Class A TV, low power TV and TV translator stations and applications for changes in such stations filed prior to the date the Class A application is filed, pursuant to the requirements specified in §74.707 of this chapter.
§ 73.6013 Protection of DTV stations.
Class A TV stations must protect the DTV service that would be provided by the facilities specified in the DTV Table of Allotments in §73.622 of this part, by authorized DTV stations and by applications that propose to expand DTV stations' allotted or authorized coverage contour in any direction, if such applications either were filed before December 31, 1999 or were filed between December 31, 1999 and May 1, 2000 by a DTV station licensee or permittee that had notified the Commission of its intent to “maximize” by December 31, 1999. Protection of these allotments, stations and applications must be based on not causing predicted interference within the service area described in §73.622(e) of this part. The interference analysis is based on the methods described in §§73.623(c)(2) through (c)(4) of this part, except that a Class A TV station must not cause a loss of service to 0.5 percent or more of the population predicted to receive service from the DTV allotment, station or application. An application to change the facilities of an existing Class A TV station will not be accepted if it fails to protect these DTV allotments, stations and applications in accordance with this section.
§ 73.6014 Protection of digital Class A TV stations.
An application to change the facilities of an existing Class A TV station will not be accepted if it fails to protect authorized digital Class A TV stations and applications for changes in such stations filed prior to the date the Class A application is filed, pursuant to the requirements specified in §74.706 of this chapter.
§ 73.6016 Digital Class A TV station protection of TV broadcast stations.
Digital Class A TV stations must protect authorized TV broadcast stations, applications for minor changes in authorized TV broadcast stations filed on or before November 29, 1999, and applications for new TV broadcast stations that had been cut-off without competing applications or that were the winning bidder in a TV broadcast station auction as of that date, or that were the proposed remaining applicant in a group of mutually-exclusive applications for which a settlement agreement was on file as of that date. This protection must be based on meeting the requirements of §74.793 (b)–(d) and (f) of this chapter. An application for DTV operation of an existing Class A TV station or to change the facilities of a digital Class A TV station will not be accepted if it fails to protect these TV broadcast stations and applications pursuant to these requirements.
[69 FR 69330, Nov. 29, 2004]
§ 73.6017 Digital Class A TV station protection of Class A TV and digital Class A TV stations.
An application for digital operation of an existing Class A TV station or to change the facilities of a digital Class A TV station will not be accepted if it fails to protect authorized Class A and digital Class A stations in accordance with the requirements of §74.793 (b) through (d) and §74.793(g) of this chapter. This protection must be afforded to applications for changes in other authorized Class A and digital Class A stations filed prior to the date the digital Class A application is filed.
[69 FR 69330, Nov. 29, 2004]
§ 73.6018 Digital Class A TV station protection of DTV stations.
Digital Class A TV stations must protect the DTV service that would be provided by the facilities specified in the DTV Table of Allotments in §73.622, by authorized DTV stations and by applications that propose to expand DTV stations' allotted or authorized coverage contour in any direction, if such applications either were filed before December 31, 1999 or were filed between December 31, 1999 and May 1, 2000 by a DTV station licensee or permittee that had notified the Commission of its intent to “maximize” by December 31, 1999. Protection of these allotments, stations and applications must be based on meeting the requirements of §74.793 (b) through (e) of this chapter. An application for digital operation of an existing Class A TV station or to change the facilities of a digital Class A TV station will not be accepted if it fails to protect these DTV allotments, stations and applications in accordance with this section.
[69 FR 69330, Nov. 29, 2004]
§ 73.6019 Digital Class A TV station protection of low power TV, TV translator, digital low power TV and digital TV translator stations.
An application for digital operation of an existing Class A TV station or to change the facilities of a digital Class A TV station will not be accepted if it fails to protect authorized low power TV, TV translator, digital low power TV and digital TV translator stations in accordance with the requirements of §74.793 (b) through (d) and (h) of this chapter. This protection must be afforded to applications for changes filed prior to the date the digital Class A station is filed.
[69 FR 69331, Nov. 29, 2004]
§ 73.6020 Protection of stations in the land mobile radio service.
An application for digital operation of an existing Class A TV station or to change the facilities of an existing Class A TV or digital Class A TV station will not be accepted if it fails to protect stations in the land mobile radio service pursuant to the requirements specified in §74.709 of this chapter. In addition to the protection requirements specified in §74.709(a) of this chapter, Class A TV and digital Class A TV stations must not cause interference to land mobile stations operating on channel 16 in New York, NY.
[69 FR 69331, Nov. 29, 2004]
§ 73.6022 Negotiated interference and relocation agreements.
(a) Notwithstanding the technical criteria in this subpart, Subpart E of this part, and Subpart G of part 74 of this chapter regarding interference protection to and from Class A TV stations, Class A TV stations may negotiate agreements with parties of authorized and proposed analog TV, DTV, LPTV, TV translator, Class A TV stations or other affected parties to resolve interference concerns; provided, however, other relevant requirements are met with respect to the parties to the agreement. A written and signed agreement must be submitted with each application or other request for action by the Commission. Negotiated agreements under this paragraph can include the exchange of money or other considerations from one entity to another. Applications submitted pursuant to the provisions of this paragraph will be granted only if the Commission finds that such action is consistent with the public interest.
(b) A Class A TV station displaced in channel by a channel allotment change for a DTV station may seek to exchange channels with the DTV station, provided both parties consent in writing to the change and that the Class A station meets all applicable interference protection requirements on the new channel. Such requests will be treated on a case-by-case basis and, if approved, will not subject the Class A station to the filing of competing applications for the exchanged channel.
§ 73.6024 Transmission standards and system requirements.
(a) A Class A TV station must meet the requirements of §§73.682 and 73.687, except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section.
(b) A Class A TV station may continue to operate with the transmitter operated under its previous LPTV license, provided such operation does not cause any condition of uncorrectable interference due to radiation of radio frequency energy outside of the assigned channel. Such operation must continue to meet the requirements of §§74.736 and 74.750 of this chapter.
(c) A Class A TV station must meet the offset carrier frequency and frequency tolerance provisions of §73.1545 of this part.
(d) A digital Class A station must meet the emission requirements of §74.794 of this chapter.
[65 FR 30009, May 10, 2000, as amended at 66 FR 21690, May 1, 2001; 69 FR 69331, Nov. 29, 2004]
§ 73.6025 Antenna system and station location.
(a) Applications for modified Class A TV facilities proposing the use of directional antenna systems must be accompanied by the following:
(1) Complete description of the proposed antenna system, including the manufacturer and model number of the proposed directional antenna. In the case of a composite antenna composed of two or more individual antennas, the antenna should be described as a “composite” antenna. A full description of the design of the antenna should also be submitted.
(2) Relative field horizontal plane pattern (horizontal polarization only) of the proposed directional antenna. A value of 1.0 should be used for the maximum radiation. The plot of the pattern should be oriented so that 0 degrees (True North) corresponds to the maximum radiation of the directional antenna or, alternatively in the case of a symmetrical pattern, the line of symmetry. Where mechanical beam tilt is intended, the amount of tilt in degrees of the antenna vertical axis and the orientation of the downward tilt with respect to true North must be specified, and the horizontal plane pattern must reflect the use of mechanical beam tilt.
(3) A tabulation of the relative field pattern required in paragraph (a)(2), of this section. The tabulation should use the same zero degree reference as the plotted pattern, and be tabulated at least every 10 degrees. In addition, tabulated values of all maxima and minima, with their corresponding azimuths, should be submitted.
(4) Horizontal and vertical plane radiation patterns showing the effective radiated power, in dBk, for each direction. Sufficient vertical plane patterns must be included to indicate clearly the radiation characteristics of the antenna above and below the horizontal plane. In cases where the angles at which the maximum vertical radiation varies with azimuth, a separate vertical radiation pattern must be provided for each pertinent radial direction.
(5) The horizontal and vertical plane patterns that are required are the patterns for the complete directional antenna system. In the case of a composite antenna composed of two or more individual antennas, this means that the patterns for the composite antenna, not the patterns for each of the individual antennas, must be submitted.
(b) Applications for modified Class A TV facilities proposing to locate antennas within 61.0 meters (200 feet) of other Class A TV or TV broadcast antennas operating on a channel within 20 percent in frequency of the proposed channel, or proposing the use of antennas on Channels 5 or 6 within 61.0 meters (200 feet) of FM broadcast antennas, must include a showing as to the expected effect, if any, of such proximate operation.
(c) Where a Class A TV licensee or permittee proposes to mount an antenna on an AM antenna tower, or locate within 3.2 km of an AM directional station, the TV licensee or permittee must comply with Sec. 73.1692.
(d) Class A TV stations are subject to the provisions in §73.685(d) regarding blanketing interference.
§ 73.6026 Broadcast regulations applicable to Class A television stations.
The following rules are applicable to Class A television stations:
§73.603 Numerical designation of television channels. §73.624(b), (c) and (g) Digital television broadcast stations. Section 73.624(b) will apply only to the extent that such stations must also transmit at least one over-the-air video program signal at no direct charge to viewers of the digital Class A station §73.635 Use of common antenna site. §73.642 Subscription TV service. §73.643 Subscription TV operating requirements. §73.644 Subscription TV transmission systems. §73.646 Telecommunications Service on the Vertical Blanking Interval and in the Visual Signal. §73.653 Operation of TV aural and visual transmitters. §73.658 Affiliation agreements and network program practice; territorial exclusivity in non-network program arrangements. §73.664 Determining operating power. §73.665 Use of TV aural baseband subcarriers. §73.667 TV subsidiary communications services. §73.669 TV stereophonic aural and multiplex subcarrier operation. §73.670 Commercial limits in children's programs. §73.671 Educational and informational programming for children. §73.673 Public information initiatives regarding educational and informational programming for children. §73.688 Indicating instruments. §73.691 Visual modulation monitoring.
[66 FR 21690, May 1, 2001]
§ 73.6027 Class A TV notifications concerning interference to radio astronomy, research and receiving installations.
An applicant for digital operation of an existing Class A TV station or to change the facilities of an existing Class A TV or digital Class A TV station shall be subject to the requirements of §73.1030—Notifications concerning interference to radio astronomy, research and receiving installations.
[69 FR 69331, Nov. 29, 2004]
Effective Date Note: At 69 FR 69331, Nov. 29, 2004, §73.6027 was added to part 73. This section contains information collection and recordkeeping requirements and will not become effective until approval has been given by the Office of Management and Budget.
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