FCC to Inspect Broadcasters Claiming Reimbursement
Some TV stations involved in the post-incentive auction repacking will have equipment inspected by the FCC between February and May to confirm “the existence and functionality” of the baseline equipment listed in their repacking reimbursement forms, the Media Bureau and…
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Incentive Auction Task Force said in a public notice on docket 16-306 Monday. “This program supports the Commission’s responsibility as a prudent steward of taxpayer money to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse,” the PN said. “Approximately 60” of the 957 total stations in the repacking will be visited, though the PN said that number could change. The stations inspected include some randomly selected and some “certainly selected” based on “judgment or discretion,” the PN said. The visits will be conducted by a third-party contractor and consist of a “one or two day onsite physical inspection of the broadcaster’s existing facility and equipment, including an auxiliary facility, if applicable,” the PN said. The stations selected will be notified by letter ahead of time, the PN said. Additional site visits may be held to confirm that equipment paid for with reimbursement funds has been deployed, the PN said.