A Media and Democracy Project (MAD) request to alter the ex parte status of the license renewal proceeding for Fox-owned WTXF-TV Philadelphia is “procedurally improper” and would prejudice Fox’s rights in the renewal process (see 2307180071), said Fox Television Stations in a letter Wednesday. “It is exceedingly rare for the Commission to place a license renewal proceeding under the more permissive procedures for permit-but-disclose proceedings,” the letter said. MAD’s request to change the status of the proceeding “is just one symptom of this fatal flaw of the Petition,” Fox said. “Grant of MAD’s Petition to Deny would fundamentally and unlawfully alter the Commission’s rules and policies governing license renewals, including its well-established character policies.”

Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares (R) tweeted Wednesday in support of keeping AM radio in vehicles. NAB is pushing lawmakers to prevent automakers from removing AM receivers from newer models (see 2306050075. “Eliminating AM radio from vehicles is an unreasonable proposal that only hurts Virginians,” Miyares wrote. “Millions of Americans listen to AM radio, relying on its accessibility and up-to-date broadcasting for local news and emergency-alert management.”

The FCC Media Bureau should change the status of the license renewal proceeding for Fox’s WTXF-TV Philadelphia from restricted to permit-but-disclose, said a letter Tuesday from the Media and Democracy Project (MAD). MAD has filed a petition to deny WTXF’s renewal (see 2307060065), and changing the proceeding’s status “would permit broader public participation” by other entities, the letter said. In restricted proceedings, ex parte presentations are generally prohibited but are allowed in permit-but-disclose if they are filed in the record. “Other public interest groups have contacted MAD and expressed an interest in participating in this proceeding.” Former Fox executive and lobbyist Preston Padden, who backs the MAD petition, has begun raising money online to fund the proceeding. Fox didn’t comment.

Comments on the FCC’s ATSC 3.0 Further NPRM are due in docket 16-142 Sept. 15, replies Oct. 16, said a public notice Monday. The FNPRM seeks comment on the 3.0 patent marketplace. Rule changes to the physical layer and substantially similar sunsets and hosting rules from the order (see 2306230067) that accompanied the FNPRM take effect Aug 16, except for portions that still require Paperwork Reduction Act approval from OMB.

July’s broadcast station totals show a decrease of 96 VHF translators since July 2022 said an FCC release in Monday’s Daily Digest. The report shows 666 VHF translators, down from 762 in July 2022. No other service showed such a large swing, though the report shows that low-power TV stations increased from 1,865 in 2022 to 1,902 in 2023. There are 15,374 full-power radio stations and 1,758 full-power TV stations, compared with 15,371 full-power radio stations and 1,756 full-power TV stations in 2022.

The next filing window for biennial broadcast ownership reports opens Oct. 2, said the Media Bureau in a reminder public notice in Monday’s Daily Digest. “The accurate, and timely, filing of ownership information is critical to ensuring that the public knows who owns, operates, and controls broadcast stations,” the PN said. “We encourage licensees to prepare in advance” for the filing window, the MB said.

The FCC Media Bureau has granted an application to allow Milachi Media-owned low-power television station WWOO-LD Westmoreland, New Hampshire, to test 5G broadcasting, said a letter Friday. LPTV Broadcasters Association President Frank Copsidas has touted the tech as a datacasting alternative to ATSC 3.0 (see 2306120003). Data transmitted through 5G broadcasting can be received by existing 5G devices, Copsidas has said. “During the testing period, Milachi will continue to provide traditional television programming using 5G Broadcast, while also using 5G Broadcast to work with first responders to provide enterprise video and data services, as well as emergency alerts,” the letter said. “Emergency alerts could be received by members of the public on 5G enabled devices, such as their smartphones, tablets and televisions, in less than one second as opposed to between 30 seconds to 3 minutes on a cell phone or 15 seconds by FM radio,” the letter said. The grant lasts until Jan. 16, and doesn’t include an expectation of renewal, the letter said.

The FCC should promptly act on the Media and Democracy Project’s petition to deny the license of Fox station WTXF-TV Philadelphia, said the Media Action Center in an informal objection filed Thursday. The MAD petition isn't considered likely to lead to FCC action (see 2307060065). “It is not the marketplace, but the interests of the people that should determine what is broadcast,” said the filing. “Fox has failed in its duty to put the interests of the people it serves above its corporate profits.” MAD previously filed a petition against the renewal of the then-Entercom owned KDND Sacramento, which was designated for hearing over the death of a listener in radio contest, a matter cited by MAD in their petition against WTXF. Fox didn't comment.

The FCC should look into and discourage local broadcasters from encrypting their ATSC 3.0 signals with DRM, said a filing from YouTube personality Tyler Kleinle, aka Antenna Man, posted in docket 16-142 Tuesday. “That broadcasters are behaving this badly so early in the launch of NextGen TV has me deeply concerned about the future of free over-the-air TV,” said the filing. Antenna Man and fellow YouTuber Lon Seidman asked their viewers to sign a petition and file comments at the agency against broadcasters encrypting their signals with DRM. Broadcasters have begun encrypting their signals, though the makers of external ATSC 3.0 tuners haven’t completed a certification process that would allow those devices to decode the signal, thus cutting off users of those devices from the 3.0 signal, the filing said. Broadcasters in ATSC 3.0 consortium Pearl TV “do not seem to have any care for antenna viewers who lost access to local channels because of DRM encryption,” said the filing. “The certification process for a tuner to decode DRM appears to be extremely complex and expensive,” the filing said. Pearl TV didn’t comment. “Free over-the-air TV is something that should be free and open to the public on any tuner available without encryption,” said Antenna Man in a video urging the public to put pressure on the agency.

The FCC Media Bureau approved two TV channel reassignments for Sinclair Broadcast stations, said public notices last week. Sinclair Broadcast’s KCFW-TV Kalispell, Montana, will switch from Channel 9 to 17, and KCBY-TV Coos Bay, Oregon, will move from 11 to 34, the filings said.