Seven permittees or licensees of DTV stations requested, and received, waivers of the Satellite Home Viewer Extension and Reauthorization Act of 2004 (SHVERA) testing requirement.
SHVERA allows satellite TV subscribers to receive a distant digital network signal when tests show that the subscriber is unable to receive an off-air digital network programming from a local station. SHVERA allows broadcasters to request exemptions from the testing requirement if they met certain conditions.
Six-month extensions were granted to stations limited in DTV coverage while waiting for international coordination or approval of applications. Stations qualifying for a waiver for these reasons include KFTR-DT in Ontario, Calif.; KVOA-DT in Tucson, Ariz.; and WSMH-DT in Flint, Mich.
Two Hawaiian stations, KHNL-DT in Honolulu and KOGG-DT in Wailuku, received six-month testing waiver extensions based on zoning and environmental impediments. KOGG-DT expects to be operational within the next five months. KHNL-DT cannot construct its maximized facility until an existing analog antenna is removed at the time of the DTV transition.
WNBC-DT in New York City and WDSU-DT in New Orleans were given six-month testing extensions due to force majeure. WNBC-DT’s facilities were destroyed in the 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and WDSU-DT’s facilities were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. WNBC-DT is currently operating from the Empire State Building and WDSU-DT is expected to be fully operational by mid-2008.
For more information on the testing waivers, see FCC Order DA 07-4391.
