Satellite Waiver Information for WFXR / WWCW / FOX 21/27

To whom it may concern,

This letter is to inform you of our current waiver policy, and to explain the reasons why we are taking this stance on this issue. We make our Standard and High Definition signals available to all of the major satellite service providers, namely Direc TV, and Dish Network.

It is the satellite service providers who choose not to offer our High Definition signals to its subscribers. We would dearly love to have our High Definition signals broadcast on the major satellite service providers systems, and obviously the technology is available to make this a reality. This would be a big advantage to our advertisers, as well as to our viewers.

When the local broadcasters of this region grant waivers to all who request them, it takes away any incentive that the satellite providers may have to include our High Definition signals on their systems. It is the goal of this station to deny waivers with hope that the viewers, who provide the revenue for the major satellite services, will put pressure on the satellite programmers to provide our High Definition signals to its subscribers.

Some of the advantages that local broadcasters provide over a distant signal are the Emergency Alert Broadcasts, local news and weather, amber alerts, and public service announcements just to name a few. When a waiver is granted to allow viewing of a distant signal, that viewer is denied the advantage of viewing programming that is geared specifically to its local audience. Most importantly, they will miss out on notifications of local disasters, be they man made disasters such as a hazardous chemical spills, or weather related natural disasters that could quickly become a matter of life and death for viewers in our area.

The FCC licenses broadcasters to “Broadcast in the Public Interest”, and the management at WFXR / WWCW TV feels that a viewer who is granted a waiver is, at the same time, denied all of the advantages that a local TV Broadcaster is licensed for in the first place. We encourage you contact your satellite provider and express your desire to see your local affiliates High Definition signals included in your local channels package, and be sure to mention the reasons, outlined above.

Sincerely,

The Management of
WFXR / WWCW TV

The main intent of the waiver rules are to provide an alternate signal  source for those who cannot receive an acceptable signal from an off air  antenna in the broadcast DMA, (Designated Market Area) in which you are  located. The rules are designed to protect a broadcaster, and their advertisers  who spend large sums of money to provide that signal to its viewers. In  2004, the FCC has updated the satellite waiver rules to deal with the  current television distribution system that is currently in place.
 
Television broadcasters have enormous expenses involved to maintain the  equipment, and programming needed to provide viewers with fresh new content,  regardless of how it is delivered. We include our audience share to potential  advertisers when we sign them as potential customers. To grant a waiver  for a distant signal, when viewers are capable of receiving our signal,  removes them as potential viewers for their goods or services.

At the current time, it is the policy of Grant Broadcasting Systems (WFXR/WWCW/WBVA, FOX 21/27) to reject any waiver requests due to the availability  of our signals on the Direct TV and Dish Network satellite delivery systems.  You may visit the following website to find more information about  the current laws and regulations regarding satellite waivers: http://ftp.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/shvera.html.

You may also visit the FCC Digital TV Web site to learn which stations  are broadcasting digital signals in your area and what type of antenna  you may need (www.dtv.gov). In addition, the following websites are excellent resources for information  on the reception of UHF band Television signals, which is where all  of the big four networks signals are broadcast in the Roanoke / Lynchburg  area.

http://www.tvantenna.com/support/tutorials/uhf.html
http://www.antennaweb.org/aw/faq.asp

http://doityourself.com/electric/tvanten.htm