(a) Applications for TV stations are divided into two groups:

(1) In the first group are applications for new stations or major changes in the facilities of authorized stations. A major change for TV broadcast stations authorized under this part is any change in frequency or community of license which is in accord with a present allotment contained in the Table of Allotments (§73.606). Other requests for change in frequency or community of license for TV broadcast stations must first be submitted in the form of a petition for rulemaking to amend the Table of Allotments.

(2) In the case of Class A TV stations authorized under subpart J of this part and low power TV, TV translator, and TV booster stations authorized under part 74 of this chapter, a major change is any change in:

(i) Frequency (output channel), except a change in offset carrier frequency; or

(ii) Transmitting antenna location where the protected contour resulting from the change is not predicted to overlap any portion of the protected contour based on the station's authorized facilities.

(3) Other changes will be considered minor including changes made to implement a channel sharing arrangement provided they comply with the other provisions of this section and provided, until October 1, 2000, proposed changes to the facilities of Class A TV, low power TV, TV translator and TV booster stations, other than a change in frequency, will be considered minor only if the change(s) will not increase the signal range of the Class A TV, low power TV or TV booster in any horizontal direction.

(4) The following provisions apply to displaced Class A TV, low power TV, TV translator and TV booster stations:

(i) In the case of an authorized low power TV, TV translator or TV booster which is predicted to cause or receive interference to or from an authorized TV broadcast station pursuant to §74.705 of this chapter or interference with broadcast or other services under §74.703 or §74.709 of this chapter, an application for a change in output channel, together with technical modifications which are necessary to avoid interference (including a change in antenna location of less than 16.1km), will not be considered as an application for a major change in those facilities.

(ii) Provided further, that a low power TV, TV translator or TV booster station authorized on a channel from channel 52 to 69, or which is causing or receiving interference or is predicted to cause or receive interference to or from an authorized DTV station pursuant to §74.706 of this chapter, or which is located within the distances specified in paragraph (4)(iv) of this section to the coordinates of co-channel DTV authorizations (or allotment table coordinates if there are no authorized facilities at different coordinates), may at any time file a displacement relief application for a change in output channel, together with any technical modifications which are necessary to avoid interference or continue serving the station's protected service area. Such an application will not be considered as an application for a major change in those facilities. Where such an application is mutually exclusive with applications for new low power TV, TV translator or TV booster stations, or with other nondisplacement relief applications for facilities modifications of Class A TV, low power TV, TV translator or TV booster stations, priority will be afforded to the displacement application(s) to the exclusion of other applications, provided the permittee or licensee had tendered its initial application for a new LPTV or TV translator station to operate on channels 52-69 prior to the August 2000 filing window.

(iii) A Class A TV station which is causing or receiving interference or is predicted to cause or receive interference to or from an authorized TV broadcast station pursuant to §73.6011 or §73.613; a DTV station or allotment pursuant to §73.6013 or §73.623, or which is located within the distances specified below in paragraph (iv) of this section to the coordinates of co-channel DTV authorizations (or allotment table coordinates if there are no authorized facilities at different coordinates); or other service that protects and/or is protected by Class A TV stations, may at any time file a displacement relief application for a change in channel, together with technical modifications that are necessary to avoid interference or continue serving the station's protected service area, provided the station's protected contour resulting from a relocation of the transmitting antenna is predicted to overlap some portion of the protected contour based on its authorized facilities. A Class A TV station displacement relief applications will be considered major change applications, and will be placed on public notice for a period of not less than 30 days to permit the filing of petitions to deny. However, these applications will not be subject to the filing of competing applications. Where a Class A displacement relief application becomes mutually exclusive with applications for new low power TV, TV translator or TV booster stations, or with other non-displacement relief applications for facilities modifications of Class A TV, low power TV, TV translator or TV booster stations, priority will be afforded to the Class A TV displacement relief application(s) to the exclusion of other applications. Mutually exclusive displacement relief applications of Class A TV, low power TV, TV translators or TV booster stations filed on the same day will be subject to competitive bidding procedures if the mutual exclusivity is not resolved by an engineering solution.

(iv)

(A) The geographic separations to co-channel DTV facilities or allotment reference coordinates, as applicable, within which to qualify for displacement relief are the following:

(1) Stations on UHF channels: 265 km (162 miles)

(2) Stations on VHF channels 2-6: 280 km (171 miles)

(3) Stations on VHF channels 7-13: 260 km (159 miles)

(B) Engineering showings of predicted interference may also be submitted to justify the need for displacement relief.

(v) Provided further, that the FCC may, within 15 days after acceptance of any other application for modification of facilities, advise the applicant that such application is considered to be one for a major change and therefore subject to the provisions of §§73.3522, 73.3580, and 1.1111 of this chapter pertaining to major changes. Such major modification applications filed for Class A TV, low power TV, TV translator, TV booster stations, and for a non-reserved television allotment, are subject to competitive bidding procedures and will be dismissed if filed outside a specified filing period. See 47 CFR 73.5002(a).

(b)

(1) A new file number will be assigned to an application for a new station or for major changes in the facilities of an authorized station, when it is amended so as to effect a major change, as defined in paragraph (a)(1) or (2) of this section, or result in a situation where the original party or parties to the application do not retain more than 50 percent ownership interest in the application as originally filed, and §73.3580 will apply to such amended application. However, such change in ownership is minor if:

(i) The governing board change in a nonstock or membership noncommercial educational (NCE) full power television applicant occurred over a period of six months or longer; or

(ii) The governing board change in a nonstock or membership NCE full power television applicant occurred over a period of less than six months and there is no evidence of a takeover concern or a significant effect on such organization's mission.

(2) All changes in a governmental applicant are considered minor.

(3) An application for change in the facilities of any existing station will continue to carry the same file number even though (pursuant to FCC approval) an assignment of license or transfer of control of such licensee or permittee has taken place if, upon consummation, the application is amended to reflect the new ownership.

(c) Amendments to Class A TV, low power TV, TV translator, TV booster stations, or non-reserved television applications, which would require a new file number pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, are subject to competitive bidding procedures and will be dismissed if filed outside a specified filing period. See 47 CFR 73.5002(a). When an amendment to an application for a reserved television allotment would require a new file number pursuant to paragraph (b) of this section, the applicant will have the opportunity to withdraw the amendment at any time prior to designation for a hearing if applicable; and may be afforded, subject to the discretion of the Administrative Law Judge, an opportunity to withdraw the amendment after designation for a hearing.

(d)

(1) The FCC will specify by Public Notice, a period for filing applications for new television stations on reserved noncommercial educational channels or for major modifications in the facilities of an authorized station on reserved channels. TV reserved channel applications for new facilities or for major modifications will be accepted only during the appropriate filing period or “window.” Applications submitted prior to the window opening date identified in the Public Notice will be returned as premature. Applications submitted after the specified deadline will be dismissed with prejudice as untimely. Mutually exclusive applications for reserved channel television stations will be resolved using the point system in subpart K of this part.

(2) Concurrently with the filing of a new or major modification application for a reserved noncommercial educational channel, the applicant shall submit to the FCC's public reference room and to a local public inspection file consistent with §73.3527(e)(2), supporting documentation of points claimed, as described in the application form.

(e) The FCC will specify by Public Notice a period for filing applications for a new non-reserved television, low power TV and TV translator stations or for major modifications in the facilities of such authorized stations, whether for commercial broadcast stations or noncommercial educational broadcast stations, as described in 47 U.S.C. 397(6), and major modifications in the facilities of Class A TV stations.

(f) Applications for minor modification of Class A TV, low power TV, TV translator and TV booster stations may be filed at any time, unless restricted by the FCC, and will be processed on a “first-come/first-served” basis, with the first acceptable application cutting off the filing rights of subsequent, competing applicants. Provided, however, that applications for minor modifications of Class A TV and those of TV broadcast stations may become mutually exclusive until grant of a pending Class A TV or TV broadcast minor modification application.

(g) TV booster station applications may be filed at any time. Subsequent to filing, the FCC will release a Public Notice accepting for filing and proposing for grant those applications which are not mutually exclusive with any other TV translator, low power TV, TV booster, or Class A TV application, and providing for the filing of Petitions To Deny pursuant to §73.3584.

(h) Class A TV station licensees shall file a license application for either the flash cut channel or the digital companion channel they choose to retain for post-transition digital operations. Class A TV stations will retain primary, protected regulatory status on their desired post-transition digital channel. Class A TV applicants must certify that their proposed post-transition digital facilities meet all Class A TV interference protection requirements.

[63 FR 48626, Sept. 11, 1998, as amended at 65 FR 30007, May 10, 2000; 65 FR 36379, June 8, 2000; 67 FR 5513, Feb. 6, 2002; 67 FR 45374, July 9, 2002; 68 FR 26227, May 15, 2003; 76 FR 44827, July 27, 2011; 82 FR 18249, Apr. 18, 2017; 85 FR 7889, Feb. 12, 2020]