Low Power Television (LPTV) was created in 1982 with the intention of providing small communities with local television service. Public interest advocates argued that LPTV would open the door to those who are often locked out of opportunities to have a TV license, and it might deliver programming tailored to the specific needs of often over-looked communities. Unfortunately, many LPTV operators have gone off air and many more are having a difficult time attracting an audience. One reason is that cable is not required to carry LPTV stations. The FCC, meanwhile, is requiring LPTV stations to transition to digital broadcasting by September 2015, so that it can free up spectrum for the expanding wireless telecommunications companies.
Is this the right public interest trade-off? What is the future for this local source of broadcast television programming?
Join us for a conversation with Peter Tannenwald, long-time attorney for LPTV stations across the country and Tara Ballesteros, representative of ZGS Communications, a company that owns four LPTV stations serving Spanish speaking communities.
This event is the second in the Beyond Mainstream Media event series. Visit the series webpage for more information and a schedule of upcoming events.
Peter Tannenwald
Attorney at Fletcher, Heald & Hildreth
Tara Ballesteros
Communications Director, ZGS Communications
Moderator
Mark Lloyd
Director, Media Policy Initiative, New America Foundation