Media Contact:
Charlie Meisch, (202) 418-2943
charles.meisch@fcc.gov
For Immediate Release
CHAIRMAN PAI ON ACCELERATING THE POST-INCENTIVE AUCTION 
TRANSITION TO SUPPORT BROADCASTERS IN PUERTO RICO AND THE 
U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS 
WASHINGTON, January 11, 2018—The FCC’s Incentive Auction Task Force and Media Bureau today 
granted a request from 20 broadcast TV stations in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands impacted by 
Hurricanes Irma and Maria to permit them to construct post-auction facilities ahead of schedule. 
Chairman Ajit Pai issued the following statement:
“The Commission has made it a top priority to assist with the recovery from last year’s devastating 
hurricanes.  Today, we’re taking another important step to expedite the restoration of vital 
communications services.
“Before today, many broadcast television stations in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands were facing 
a choice between two bad options: either remain dark for months or years to come, or restore service on 
their pre-auction channel, only to have to rebuild their broadcast facility again in a year or two.  Now, 
stations are no longer confronting that choice because they’ll be able to use their post-auction channel 
more quickly.  Moreover, affected stations will now be able to access the TV Broadcaster Reimbursement 
Fund to cover portions of their recovery costs attributable to the post-incentive auction channel 
reassignment.  
“The bottom line is that residents of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be able to access 
emergency communications and other valuable broadcast content sooner as a result of this decision.  I’m 
grateful to the Incentive Auction Task Force and the Media Bureau for working with these stations on a 
creative solution.”
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Office of Chairman Ajit Pai: (202) 418-2000
Twitter: @AjitPaiFCC
www.fcc.gov/leadership/ajit-pai
This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action.  Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official 
action.  See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).