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What Are Low-Power, Class A and Translator TV Stations?

Not Required To Convert To Digital in 2009

by Matthew Torres
for About.com

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) did not include low power, Class A or translator stations in the mandatory transition to digital, which means that some people won’t be affected by the transition.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has an interactive web page that you can query to list all low-power, class A and translator stations by state.

Here is how the FCC describes these stations:

  • Class A stations are former low-power stations that have some interference protection rights not available to low-power stations. They must broadcast three hours of locally-produced program each week and operate much the same as full-power stations.
  • Low-Power stations provide opportunities for locally-oriented TV in small communities, which may be in rural or individual communities within larger urban areas. Programming can include satellite-delivered programming, syndicated programs, movies, and various locally-produced programs.
  • Translator stations rebroadcast programming from full-power stations to live in regions that are unable to receive the full-power signals because they are too far away or live in the mountains or other remote areas.

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