FCC approves Franklin County’s application for Atlanta stations
Despite opposition from Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville NBC, CBS, ABC and
Fox TV stations, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has approved an application, submitted by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, and will now allow satellite TV customers in Franklin County, to receive access to networks in the Atlanta market.
Those Atlanta stations are WSB, WAGA, WXIA and WGCL.
Franklin County is one of four Northeast Georgia counties who are in various phases of the application process with the FCC.
FCC rules state that because Stephens, Franklin, Hart and Elbert counties are closer to Greenville, SC than to Atlanta, GA they are in the Greenville broadcast market and can only receive Greenville TV stations.
That also means they are considered “orphan counties” because their citizens with satellite TV service are not receiving Georgia local news, weather, and sports from their home state TV stations.
Because these counties are assigned to Greenville stations, the local news and weather aired on the stations are oriented at South Carolina residents.
Franklin County Commissioners and residents supporting the effort want access to televised Georgia news and weather presented by the Atlanta stations.
It was also pointed out that most weather systems impacting the four counties moves from west to east or from the Atlanta area toward the South Carolina state line.
Having access to the Atlanta stations gives viewers more advance notice of impending weather events.
The Greenville-Spartanburg-Asheville TV market is the 38th largest in the United States based on total population while the Atlanta market ranks 9th largest.
Stephens County has partnered with the Georgia Mountain Regional Commission (GMRC) to help with its petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to move satellite TV customers to metro Atlanta TV stations.
GMRC will assist the county in completing and filing its application with the FCC.
WNEG News will provide continued coverage as more information is released.
Click here for a copy of the original petition filed by Franklin County.