Beasley Media doesn’t support an FCC proposal to limit interference complaints by full-power FM stations against FM translator stations outside the full-power’s 54 dBu contour, said CEO Caroline Beasley in an Aug. 21 meeting with Media Bureau Audio Division Chief Albert Shuldiner, recounted a filing posted Monday in docket 18-119. Significant listening occurs outside an average FM station's 54 dBu contour, the broadcaster said. Beasley supports the other proposals in the FM translator interference NPRM.

Phase one of the post-incentive auction repack starts Sept. 14, the Incentive Auction Task Force and the Media Bureau reminded broadcasters in a public notice in Monday’s Daily Digest. The phase one testing period stretches until Nov. 30, with phase two starting Dec. 1. During their testing period, repacked broadcasters can begin broadcasting on their new frequencies for testing purposes, and commence operation on the new channel while ceasing broadcasting on their former channel, the PN said. “The purpose of the testing period is not for stations to simulcast signals to viewers on two channels.” Stations must file an application for a license within 10 days of “commencement of program test authority,” the PN said. Stations that need more time will need to file for special temporary authority, and can get a single 180-day extension of their construction permit, the PN said. Construction permit extensions must be filed 90 days before the end of a station’s phase, the PN said. Thirty days before ceasing operation on pre-auction channels, broadcasters must air “at least 60-seconds per day of on-air consumer education public service announcements (PSAs) or crawls” about the transition, the PN said. MVPDs must be notified 90 days ahead of time, the PN said.

Comments on the FCC’s proposals for directing reimbursement funds to low-power TV stations, translators and radio stations are due Sept. 26, according to a Federal Register notice for Monday. Replies are due Oct. 26. An accompanying order directing the Media Bureau to determine costs and engage a contractor to administer the reimbursement fund was also scheduled in the FR and to be effective Monday.

Comments on the state of competition in the audio programming market are due Sept. 24, and replies are due Oct. 9, the FCC said in a public notice in Friday’s Daily Digest.

The FCC International Bureau granted a one-week extension request from GLR Southern California to allow more time for the company to respond to petitions to deny its application for a permit to deliver programs to foreign broadcast stations, said an order in Thursday’s Daily Digest. The deadline was originally Wednesday but was extended to Aug. 29, the order said. The petition to deny was filed by Chinese Sound of Oriental and West Heritage.

The FCC Enforcement Bureau warned alleged unlicensed radio operators in Miami and Miami Gardens, Florida, said Wednesday’s Daily Digest. Notices of violation went to Emerald Terrace, Kingsbridge Development, Ramash Realty, and Minnie Wilkerson and Louise Kimbrough and claim recipients own property from which pirate signals are transmitted.

Settlement agreements and technical amendments for mutually exclusive FM translator proposals filed in the FCC auction of translator construction permits from 2003 are due Sept. 5, the Media Bureau said in a public notice listed in Wednesday’s Daily Digest, when the settlement period began. The permits in Auction 83 were those with interference conflicts that couldn’t be resolved after a 2003 filing window (see 1801170031).

Amending the Table of Allotments to allow WEDW Bridgeport to move closer to New York City will deprive parts of Connecticut of service, violate the FCC’s freeze on digital channel substitutions, and “effectively reallocate the station to New York,” said PMCM in comments posted in docket 18-20 Tuesday. PMCM is the licensee of WJLP Middletown Township, New Jersey, which serves “much of the same area that WEDW now proposes to serve,” and would be “economically affected” by the relocation, PMCM said. WEDW didn’t comment.

The FCC should eliminate the national ownership cap and “remove an unnecessary barrier to the ability of local television stations to compete in the evolving media marketplace,” said Nexstar CEO Perry Sook in a meeting with Chairman Ajit Pai Thursday, according to an ex parte filing Monday in docket 17-318. Sook was accompanied by former FCC Chairman Dick Wiley, now chairman emeritus at Wiley Rein. The national ownership cap doesn't "support diversity, localism, or competition," said a presentation attached to the filing.

Gray will sell TV stations in eight markets to Lockwood Broadcasting, E.W. Scripps and Tegna to complete the divestiture process connected with its proposed buy of Raycom, Gray said in a news release Monday. Gray earlier this month announced divestiture deal for a ninth station to Marquee Broadcasting (see 1808160063). The total sale price for all nine divestitures is $235.5 million, “which exceeds Gray’s internal projections for divestiture proceeds,” the release said. “By divesting television stations in each of the nine overlap markets, Gray ensures that the Gray/Raycom combination will not reduce competition in those local markets,” the release said. Gray said the sales will result in the stations’ total separation from Gray. Gray “will not have any joint sales, joint retransmission, shared services, or local marketing arrangements with any divested station. Additionally, Gray will not hold an option to repurchase any divested station, nor will Gray finance or guarantee any purchaser’s indebtedness,” the release said. The hearing designation order issued by the FCC against the Sinclair/Tribune deal cited many ofsuch sharing arrangements and options as evidence Sinclair would still retain control over its divested stations (see 1808090042). The proposed divestitures will close when the Gray/Raycom transaction does, which Gray predicts will be Q4.