Coalition for Local Television (LTV)
Congress created low power television stations (LPTVs) in 1982 to democratize the
airwaves by providing access to the broadcast spectrum for minority broadcasters, small businesses and others without deep pockets. In 2000, Congress updated the LPTV system by adding the designation “Class A” for those stations broadcasting a minimum of 18 hours per day and at least three hours per week of programming produced within the market area served by the station. Most Class A stations well exceed these minimums; indeed, many LPTVs do as well.

LPTVs now produce what big media does not: local content catering to a diverse range of interests including minority and rural communities, various religious groups and specific urban audiences. These types of programming are equally diverse, often
providing the only sources of news coverage of local governments, emergency
preparedness alerts in foreign languages and a long list of educational services. Indeed, many of today’s low power television stations have matured into substantial businesses providing some of the most creative and informative local content available anywhere on television. More importantly, ownership of LPTVs by minorities is at a rate that is five times as high as minority ownership of full power television stations.

The future of these local broadcasters, however, is threatened by their lack of access to local cable distributions in order to effectively reach their audience. With increased
media consolidation and the upcoming digital transition (reducing analog-only television broadcasting to a tiny fraction of the total market) LPTVs are the only broadcast television stakeholder left out of the process.

The solution is not complicated: the Federal Communications Commission needs to
bring its policies on LPTV into the digital age. A matter now pending before the FCC
would accomplish this and needs your support. The FCC is currently circulating a
proposed rule that would permit the migration of Class A television stations to full-power status thereby affording such stations must-carry rights on cable television systems. The proposed rule would also permit additional qualified low power television stations to be granted Class A status. This action will save LPTVs and allow them to continue to advance the interests of localism, offer alternative viewpoints, emergency services to their communities and enhance the opportunities for diversity in ownership.

Providing Class A television stations with must-carry rights will also ease the transition
for viewers from an analog to a digital environment. Without the proposed changes, an
estimated 2.3 million Hispanic households and approximately 2.1 million African
American households may lose one or more of their LPTV and Class A stations.


Local television for local communities just makes sense.
- Permit Class A television stations to migrate to full power status which will
afford them must-carry rights on their local systems and
- Permit qualified LPTVs to be granted Class A status