Federal Communications Commission	"FCC  XX-XXX"


STATEMENT OF
COMMISSIONER BRENDAN CARR

Re: 	Amendment of Parts 73 and 74 of the Commission’s Rules to Establish Rules for Digital Low Power Television and Television Translator Stations, MB Docket No. 03-185, Fifth Report and Order (July 20, 2023).

Throughout his life, Percy Spencer was many things—an orphan, a farmer, a drop out, a Navy man, and a self-taught engineer.  In 1945, it was his love of electricity that had brought him to the Raytheon Corporation.  Among other things, Percy was responsible for testing magnetrons, which are vacuum tubes inside of radars that operate at very high power levels.  

Now, in addition to being a jack of all trades, Percy had a bit of a sweet tooth.  And on one particular day, he had a candy bar in his pocket.  After a while, and more than a few close passes to the magnetrons, he noticed that the candy bar had melted.  In fact, it had gotten quite warm. 

Percy thought he might be on to something, but, being a man of science, he needed more proof.  Next came some popcorn kernels that started popping like mad.  Then came an egg that blew up in the face of a skeptical colleague.  I can’t say for certain that this is where we got the expression “egg on your face,” but I can say that these culinary adventures brought us what we now know as the microwave.

Today’s item presents us with a similar story of serendipity.  For many years, the Commission has been trying to figure out what to do with the FM6 stations.  And just when it looked like the DTV transition would be the final entry in the FM6 Wikipedia page—yes, they have their own Wikipedia page—a new technology breathed life into the service.  I have long believed that ATSC 3.0 would revolutionize the broadcast television industry, but I had no idea that this cutting-edge technology would help preserve over-the-air radio service near the bottom of the TV band.  So I applaud the ingenuity of these stations, and I am pleased that, moving forward, they will also be increasing their video programming in ATSC 3.0.

If I’m being honest, I doubt our action today will be as consequential as Percy’s discovery.  After all, there are probably over a hundred microwaves in the FCC Headquarters alone.  But for the listeners in these markets who have come to rely on these stations for entertainment and emergency information, our action today may be just as meaningful.

I would like to thank the Media Bureau staff for their long and diligent work on this matter.  The item has my support.
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