BENJAMIN L. CARDIN
UNITED STATES SENATOR
MARYLAND
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Uashington, 1)[: 201')0-2001
May 24, 2011
The Honorable Julius Genachowski
Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20554
Dear Chairman Genachowski:
I urge you to support the efforts ofEntravision Holdings, LLC, to relocate Station WJAL
from Hagerstown, Maryland to Silver Spring, Maryland. Entravision has sought permission for
the move through a rulemaking request pending at the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC). The move would accomplish laudable objectives: Silver Spring would have its first
broadcast television station and the Washington metropolitan area, including the Maryland
suburbs, would have a second full-service Spanish-language broadcast service.
Entravision currently operates Class A Television Station WMDO-CA in the Washington
area, where it broadcasts the programming ofthe Telefutura Spanish-language network. For
many years, WMDO-CA operated on Channel 30. This low-power facility was forced offits
channel by a (ull-powerstation,rllnsiti~nj.ngto digital broadcasting. Following its displacement,
WMDO-CA r,elbcated to Channel 47, bl,lt,~itl,1,asUb~tantialnet loss to its service area, dropping
from 2,014,567 pqtentiaJviewer~to 1,139,076':"ne~lyit 45' percent decline: Because its signal
is limitec\, Its over-the-air reach does not extend far from the tower site in Northwest.
Washington. Consequently, Maryland residents in acjjacent suburban counties cannot view it on
their television sets.' "
Entravision also operates Station WJAL, from studios in Hagerstown. Entravision has
been trying since 2003 to convince FCC officials that moving \VJAL to Silver Spring would be
in the public interest since it would increase Spanish-language programming available over-the 
air in the Washington metropolitan area. Moreover, this change in the transmitter site will result
in the delivery ofa "good quality" signal to more cable television system "headends" in the D.C.
area, resulting in expanded cable carriage,of,Spanish-language programming to those
~ashjllgton-~eaviewe,Jis who depend on cable television for local signals. At present, some
cllble operators refuSe 19 carry WMpO-CA because ofthe poorqu~lityofits signal. The
proposed relocation will not le,ave B;agerstllWn unserved or \!Ilderserved since there are other.TV
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Baltimore, MD 21201
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I agree with Hispanic leaders and elected officials who have contacted me that the
rulemaking request before the FCC would benefit not only Entravision but the broader public
interest. The Washington area is one ofthe few metropolitan areas in this country with a
sizeable Hispanic population that does not have at least two full-service Spanish-language
stations serving the Latino community. Entravision, which is a prominent Spanish-language
broadcaster, has pledged to provide such a second Spanish-language service, with its attendant
local news, sports, and public affairs components, if WJAL is allowed to relocate to Silver
Spring. According to the most recent decennial Census, the Washington metropolitan area and
Montgomery County have experienced more than a 60 percent increase in their Latino
populations over the past ten years. Montgomery County's Latino population has reached 17
percent ofthe total and continues to grow. This population, which relies heavily on over-the-air
television, deserves more than one satisfactory broadcast signal. The status quo is no longer
acceptable.
I urge the FCC to issue a notice ofproposed rulemaking promptly, solicit comments from
the public and other interested parties on the proposal put forward by Entravision, and give such
comments due consideration.
Thank you for your consideration ofthis request. If I can provide you with any
additional information, please call upon me or have your staff contact Gray Maxwell
(gray maxwell@cardin.senate.gov) on my staff.
Sincerely,
i!.ffl:
United States Senator
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