WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission’s Media Bureau has issued a Public Notice that it has automatically modified the call signs of some TV translator stations to bring them into compliance with recently adopted rule changes.

On December 19, 2025, the Commission adopted a change to the TV translator call sign rule, requiring that TV translator station call signs “be made up of a prefix consisting of the initial letter K or W followed by the channel number assigned to the station and two additional letters and a suffix consisting of the letter `–D'.”

At the time, the FCC stated that it would “automatically modify” non-compliant TV translator call signs to align with the proper convention thirty days after the effective date of the revised rule. The rule change became effective on February 23, 2026, the FCC reported.

The FCC said that the amended rule did not contain new or modified information collection requirements and did not require approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 prior to becoming effective.

The FCC is now reporting that the process of modifying non-compliant TV translator call signs is complete. In a March 11 Notice, the agency said that some stations with non-compliant call signs elected to modify their service designation from TV translator to LPTV instead of having their call sign modified and that those stations are not listed in the Appendix of the Notice detailing the call sign changes.

While the Commission awaits final OMB approval of its revised “change in service designation” rule (e.g., TV translator to LPTV and vice-versa), the FCC also noted that stations may submit such requests by sending a letter by e-mail to Kevin.Harding@fcc.gov.

The FCC stressed that stations that change service designation must comply with all Commission rules applicable to their new class of service as of the date of the change in designation–including but not limited to the Commission’s rules related to emergency alerting. “Each Station’s license and any active construction permit or other authorization has been re-issued with the new call sign,” the FCC Notice explained. “The Stations are also reminded to update the call sign that is transmitted in their on-air station identification.”

The FCC said that stations needing additional information should contact Shaun Maher, Video Division, Media Bureau, at Shaun.Maher@fcc.gov or (202) 418-2324 (legal); or Kevin Harding, Video Division, Media Bureau, at Kevin.Harding@fcc.gov or (202) 418-7077 (technical).

Additional analysis of the rule changes can be found at the Broadcast Law Blog here.

The Notice and a full list of the translator stations that were automatically modified is available here.

WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission has announced it will hold an Open Meeting on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. in the Commission Meeting Room of the agency.

The FCC described the items on the tentative agenda as follows:

TITLE: Lifeline and Link Up Reform and Modernization (WC Docket No. 11-42); Bridging the Digital Divide for Low-Income Consumers (WC Docket No. 17-287); Telecommunications Carriers Eligible for Universal Service Support (WC Docket No. 09-197); Affordable Connectivity Program (WC Docket No. 21-450); and Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (WC Docket No. 20-445)

SUMMARY: The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on reforms to the Lifeline program to ensure that federal dollars go to eligible Americans, enhance program integrity, ensure that service providers comply with the Commission’s rules and regulations, and streamline Lifeline rules.

TITLE: Maximizing the Potential of the 900 MHz Band (WT Docket No. 24-99) SUMMARY: The Commission will consider a Report and Order that would enable broadband deployment on all ten megahertz of the 900 MHz band (896–901/935–940 MHz band), facilitating additional spectrum access by utilities, critical infrastructure, and other enterprises for private wireless broadband deployments that drive innovation and stimulate the American economy.

TITLE: Proposing Application Limit in Upcoming NCE Reserved Band FM Translator Filing Window (MB Docket No. 26-20)

SUMMARY: The Commission will consider a Public Notice to propose and seek comment on eligibility restrictions and a general limit of ten applications filed by any applicant entity in the upcoming 2026 filing window for new noncommercial educational reserved band FM translator stations.

TITLE: Reforming Legacy Rules for an All-IP Future (WC Docket No. 25-311); and Accelerating Network Modernization (WC Docket No. 25-208)

SUMMARY: The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would seek comment on proposed reforms to intercarrier compensation, interexchange services and CAF ICC support aimed at accelerating network deployment and modernization.

Materials relating to items on the agenda can be found here.

The meeting will be webcast at: www.fcc.gov/live and on the agency's YouTube channel.

WASHINGTON—Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr has announced a tentative agenda for the February Open Commission Meeting scheduled for Wednesday, February 18, 2026.

Documents relating to the items on the agenda are available here.

The FCC described the items on the tentative agenda as follows:

• Strengthening the Integrity of the Lifeline Program. The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking seeking comment on reforms to the Lifeline program to ensure that federal dollars go to eligible Americans, enhance program integrity, ensure that service providers comply with the Commission’s rules and regulations, and streamline Lifeline rules. (WC Docket Nos. 11-42, 17-287, 09-197, 21-450, 20-445)
• Maximizing the Potential of the 900 MHz Band. The Commission will consider a Report and Order that would enable broadband deployment on all ten megahertz of the 900 MHz band (896–901/935–940 MHz band), facilitating additional spectrum access by utilities, critical infrastructure, and other enterprises for private wireless broadband deployments that drive innovation and stimulate the American economy. (WT Docket No. 24-99)
• Proposing Application Limit in Upcoming NCE Reserved Band FM Translator Filing Window. The Commission will consider a Public Notice to propose and seek comment on eligibility restrictions and a general limit of ten applications filed by any applicant entity in the upcoming 2026 filing window for new noncommercial educational reserved band FM translator stations. (MB Docket No. 26-20)
• Reforming Intercarrier Compensation. The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that would seek comment on proposed reforms to intercarrier compensation, interexchange services and CAF ICC support aimed at accelerating network deployment and modernization. (WC Docket Nos. 25-311, 25-208)

The Open Meeting is scheduled to commence at 10:30 a.m. ET in the Commission Meeting Room of the Federal Communications Commission, 45 L Street, N.E., Washington, D.C.

Open Meetings are streamed live at www.fcc.gov/live.

WASHINGTON—After the previously announced schedule for lifting a freeze on major change applications and applications for new LPTV and TV translator stations was disrupted by the government shutdown, the Federal Communications Commission’s Media Bureau has issued a revised schedule.

Prior to the Sept. 3 public notice seeking to reopen these applications, applications for new LPTV stations had been frozen since 2010.

As part of the process for opening up those applications, the FCC said it will initially freeze certain applications. The agency said these freezes are necessary to provide a stable database for stations to prepare for the filing of major modification applications.

The FCC described the revised schedule as follows:

• Except for the revised dates announced below, all processes and procedures previously announced by the bureau pertaining to these filing opportunities remain the same.
• The freeze on major change applications implemented by the bureau on Sept. 3, remains in effect until it is lifted pursuant to the revised schedule set forth below.
• Dec. 11. Temporary application filing freeze implemented on all minor change applications (including displacement applications) for Class A, LPTV, and TV translator stations. Minor change applications filed once the freeze is imposed will be dismissed and need to be re-filed after the freeze is lifted.
• Dec. 18.Major modification filing freeze lifted to permit Class A, LPTV, and TV translator stations to file major change applications, on a first come, first served basis. Facility relocations are limited to no more than 121.0 kilometers (km). Major change applications submitted during this filing opportunity must meet the 121.0 km distance limit and otherwise comply with the Commission’s part 73 and 74 rules. All other applications will be dismissed. Freeze lifted on all minor change applications (including displacement applications) for Class A, LPTV, and TV translator stations.
• Jan. 29, 2026. Temporary application filing freeze implemented for all major change applications for Class A, LPTV, and TV translator stations. Major change applications filed once the freeze is imposed will be dismissed and need to be re-filed after the freeze is lifted.
• March 12, 2026. Temporary application filing freeze for all minor change applications (including displacement applications) for Class A, LPTV, and TV translator stations. Minor change applications filed once the freeze is imposed will be dismissed and need to be re-filed after the freeze is lifted.
• March 19, 2026.Major modification filing freeze lifted, without limit or restriction, to permit the filing of Class A, LPTV and TV translator major change applications and acceptance of applications for new LPTV and TV translators stations. The acceptance of applications for new Class A stations has been limited by statute and therefore applications for new Class A stations will not be accepted during this filing opportunity.

WASHINGTON—The FCC Media Bureau announced the opening of a filing window to resolve the state of new rural digital LPTV stations left in a limbo created by the TV spectrum incentive auction and repack.

Qualifying new, rural LPTV stations have between now and Jan. 31, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. EDT to amend pending applications to specify a new channel between 2 and 36.

These stations originally filed to be licensed as new rural digital LPTV or translator stations after the Media Bureau began accepting applications for this service in 2009. However, the FCC froze those applications as the agency moved forward with the incentive auction and spectrum repack.

According to a Media Bureau public notice, “it is appropriate to give these applicants an opportunity to amend their applications to specify a new digital in core channel” now that the auction is completed.

To qualify to amend an application, applicants must have a pending application for a new digital LPTV/translator station displaced by the incentive auction and repack.

The bureau has set up three criteria to be considered “displaced,” one of which must be met to be eligible. They include:

• being subject to a displacement by a full-power or Class A TV station on the repacked TV band resulting from the incentive auction;
• having proposed a frequency repurposed for new, flexible use by a 600 MHz band wireless licensee; or
• having proposed a frequency that will be used as part of the 600 MHz guard band.

Besides amending applications to specify a new in core channel, applicants have the option to modify technical specifications submitted as part of the original application as long as the changes don’t include a relocation of a transmitter site more than 48 kilometers (29.825 miles) from the reference coordinates originally submitted, the bureau said.

Further, transmitting antenna site coordinates must be more than 121 kilometers (75 miles) from the reference coordinates of DMA 1-100 markets. (The north latitude and west longitude of each of these markets is provided in Appendix A of the notice.)

The bureau will treat the application amendments of qualifying stations, filed in compliance with the restrictions outlined in the notice, as “minor” amendments. The agency will not charge a fee to file an application amendment, the bureau said.

The Media Bureau also laid out procedures for how mutually exclusive applications will be resolved in the notice.

For more information on the repack, visit TV Technology's repack silo.