7 P.R. TV stations to go off-air following FCC auction
Puerto Rico will lose seven television stations as part of a recent FCC auction.
Seven television stations operating in Puerto Rico will go dark following a recent spectrum auction by the Federal Communications Commission that generated more than $44.7 million for the properties.
According to the FCC, the following stations were involved in the bidding procedures:
- WDWL, owned by Teleadoración Christian Network Inc. ($7.7 million);
- WELU, owned by Senda Educational Broadcasting Inc. ($3.7 million);
- WIRS and WKPV, owned by America-CV Station Group Inc. (sold for $6.9 million and $6.6 million, respectively);
- WMEI, owned by CMCG Puerto Rico LLC ($9.7 million);
- WSJU, owned by Aerco Broadcasting Corp. ($5.2 million);
- and WTCV, owned by Spanish Broadcasting System Holding Company ($4.7 million.)
Bidding concluded in the broadcast television spectrum incentive auction on March 30, which was composed of the reverse auction in which broadcaster licensees bid to relinquish spectrum usage rights, the FCC explained.
Essentially, the owners of the stations will receive incentive payments from the U.S. Treasury, as instructed by the FCC. However, there are no specific dates as to when the winning bidders will receive their money, the regulatory agency noted.
According to the FCC, a station that has relinquished its license that will cease broadcasting must discontinue operations within 90 days after receiving its share of auction proceeds. It must notify viewers as well as the FCC of its plans to discontinue operations of its pre-auction channel.
While the FCC conducted the reverse auction, it simultaneously ran a forward-looking auction for new 600 MHz band licenses As this media outlet reported last week, T-Mobile was the big winner in that round, paying nearly $8 billion for new spectrum that includes its Puerto Rico operation.
T-Mobile got 50Mhz of bandwidth in PR, 25up link + 25down link (5 blocks). The rest was bought by DISH Network, (2 blocks) 20Mhz of bandwidth 10up link + 10down link