Published: TV Technology magazine

Issue:  15 June 1998





Stations Wait to File (DTV) Applications 



by Joe Fedele



MIAMI

  Acting like a reluctant groom at a shotgun wedding, most of the network affiliates in the top 10 markets 

submitted their DTV applications just in time for the May 1 deadline. While some stations completed their 

applications long ago, more than 60 percent waited until the last 31 days of the application period to step up 

and file. Eight of the 40 waited until the last possible moment and filed on the first of May.

  Only three of the 40 stations that make up the category 1 group (see figure 1) did not meet the May 1 

deadline and were forced to file for extensions due to tower lease or negotiation problems at their 

transmitter sites. Although these stations have not technically met their filing obligations, the FCC said it 

believes they are meeting the "spirit of the law" and the commission is willing to allow them additional time 

to file. 

Consequently, the stations asked for and were granted three month extensions of the deadline.  

Coincidentally their deadlines now match the August first date for category two stations. 

  A review of license applications filed with the commission revealed that as of May 19, with less than three 

months left until the second filing deadline is reached, only about 20 percent of network affiliates in the top 

30 markets had submitted applications. 

  Ironically, more applications were filed by stations in the third category (which are scheduled for a Nov. 1 

deadline) than those facing the Aug. 1 date. Figure 2 shows the breakdown of stations filing applications or 

that have been granted construction permits regardless of affiliation or category status. The chart reveals 

that more stations in markets 51 to 75 filed applications than in the 31 to 50 range. The number of stations 

filing in markets 101 to 211 matched that of the 31 to 50 group, with only four in each.

    A look at network affiliations (see figure 3) shows that applications submitted by ABC, CBS and NBC 

stations averaged about the same - almost 18 each. Of the major networks, Fox stations appeared to be the 

most reluctant of the four networks, with only 13 filings. Half of Fox's top 10 owned and operated stations 

waited until the deadline date to file.

  PBS and independent stations were next on the list of submissions with each group filing four applications. 

Only two UPN affiliates and one WB station filed their DTV applications by the middle of May.

  As of this writing, a total of 77 applications had been filed. Of that, only 16 construction permits had been 

granted with 61 submissions still under review by the commission. As of May 1, only two stations in Hawaii 

(KHVO-DT and KITV-DT) had DTV license applications pending.