KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo News, Weather, SportsKFDA Satellite Waiver Request

This page provides information about requesting a waiver from KFDA Televisionand KTMO - Telemundo Amarillo, granting you the right to receive CBS television network or Telemundo programming from a distant network affiliate on your satellite dish.

It is illegal for satellite companies to sell network services to households that can receive local broadcasters’ free over-the-air signal from a rooftop antenna. Those subscribers who can not receive an over-the-air signal from a rooftop antenna may request a waiver to receive a distant signal via their satellite dish.

Congress recently passed new legislation governing the transmission of both local and distant network broadcast stations over satellite systems.

The new law changes the waiver request process. Subscribers should now request a waiver by sending their request directly to their satellite company. The satellite company will forward requests they feel have merit to the local affiliates for consideration. Local stations are required to respond to requests they receive from satellite companies within 30 days. In many cases, the satellite companies can forward requests electronically to local affiliates, which speeds up processing. KFDA will only consider requests received from a satellite company.

To submit waiver requests through your satellite company, use the following contact information:

Dish Network Customer Service
P.O. Box 33577
Northglen, Colorado 80233
1-800-333-DISH (1-800-333-3474)

Direct TV Customer Service
P.O. BOX 92600
Los Angeles, CA 90009
1-800-DIRECTV (1-800-347-3288)

Some affiliates like KFDA and the satellite companies have access to sophisticated computer modeling software, which is utilized when considering waiver requests. It takes into account the coverage of our television signal, a viewer’s location, and interference factors such as terrain. The computer model tells us, with a fairly high degree of accuracy, what signal strength a particular location should be receiving.

The grade B signal cut-off established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is 47dbu for channel 10. Signal strengths at or above that level are considered to be viewable TV signals. Many waiver requests that are submitted are from viewers who receive a signal well above the 47dbu minimum considered by FCC laws to be a viewable signal from KFDA using a properly installed rooftop antenna and are therefore denied.

Under the recently passed legislation your satellite provider will be able to provide KFDA's signal (not a distant CBS or Telemundo signal) to your home when they begin offering local signals in this market. Currently some satellite companies are offering local signals to viewers in the Amarillo. We encourage you to contact your DBS provider with any questions you may have concerning the availability of local signals via satellite dish in this market.

Again, requests to receive distant network programming on your satellite dish should be sent to your satellite carrier.

Further information regarding the legislation which governs waiver requests and off-air antennas is available on-line at http://www.fcc.gov/mb/policy/shvera.html . If you still have questions regarding waiver requests please e-mail us at 10listens@newschannel10.com.

We look forward to serving you in the future and to providing both network and local programming to you and the entire viewing area.