FEDERAL COMMUN IC AT IONS CO M MISSION 
W A SHINGTO N 
OFFIC E O F 
THE CHAIRM A N 
The Honorable Cory A. Booker 
United States Senate 
141 Hart Senate Office Building 
Washington, D.C. 20510 
Dear Senator Booker: 
April29, 2014 
Thank you for your letter regarding the importance of local broadcasting and the potential 
impact of the upcoming Incentive Auction on consumers. I appreciate the opportunity to 
respond. 
I understand the value that local TV stations bring to viewers in fulfillment of their 
responsibility to serve the public interest. I strongly believe that the interests of the American 
people are served by a vibrant local broadcasting industry and include the continuation of 
broadcasting' s historic role as a principal conveyor of news and entertainment, and especially of 
its invaluable role as "first informer." 
The incentive auction proposals before the full Commission are a balanced approach to 
benefit 21st century consumers, whether those consumers use television or mobile broadband- or 
most likely both. Our central objective in designing the incentive auction is to marry the 
economics of demand with the economics of current spectrum holders, broadcast television 
stations, and allow market forces to determine the highest and best use of spectrum. The 
Commission does not know definitively which stations will choose to participate, or which 
stations ultimately will be selected through the auction, but our goal is to provide the industry 
with specific information regarding the available options in order for each station to make an 
informed decision. 
Broadcast stations have the choice whether to participate or not, and will have a range of 
bid options. These include the options to go off the air, relinquish a UHF channel and share a 
channel with another broadcast station, or relinquish a UHF channel and accept another channel 
in the VHF band. While the law clearly demonstrates that Congress contemplated that a 
successful auction would result in some stations choosing to go off the air, both the channel 
sharing and UHF to VHF bid options will provide stations with the opportunity to participate in 
the auction, receive a substantial payment, and continue to provide over-the-air programming to 
their local communities. For stations that choose not to participate, the Commission is required 
to make "all reasonable efforts" to preserve their coverage areas and populations served in any 
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repacking of broadcast stations to new channels. We will comply with statutory directives 
regarding the protection of the remaining stations, which will minimize the impact on 
consumers. 
I hope this information is helpful. Your letter will be made part of the record of the 
proceeding.