There are 128 applicants scheduled to participate in an Aug. 27 auction of a
chunk of frequencies now used for TV channels 52 through 59.
Large stations groups LIN Television Corp., Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc. and
Capitol Broadcasting Co. -- the latter of which owns pioneering digital station WRAL in Raleigh,
N.C. -- are among a handful of traditional broadcasters signed up to participate
in a Federal Communications Commission auction.
Wireless companies and other telecommunications players are also expected to
bid. The portion up for bid, known as the "C" and "D" blocks, contains channels
54 and 59 and channel 55, respectively.
Bidding for spectrum occupied by the other six channels, as well as by
channels 60 through 69, has not been scheduled.
Several previous efforts to sell some or all of the channels, located on the
700-megahertz portion of the radio spectrum, were canceled.
