Franklin County Files FCC Petition to Remove “Orphan County” Status

After years of continued work, Franklin County’s application to allow satellite TV companies to switch their customers to the Atlanta television market is now on its way to the Federal Communications Committee.

Last week, Franklin County Manager Beth Thomas announced she has sent in the application and all of the paperwork requesting the change to 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 service are not receiving Georgia local news, weather, and sports from their home state TV stations.

At their regular county commission meeting last week, Thomas told the Board Stephens, Hart and Elbert counties are also interested in requesting the switch for their citizens that have satellite service.

Thomas said she will share Franklin County’s application with the other three counties so they can go through the process.

Each county must file their own petition with the FCC.

Thomas said the application includes four separate petitions for each of the four Atlanta TV network stations, WSB, WAGA, CBS46, and Georgia Public Broadcasting (PBS).

In 2014, the FCC passed a new rule allowing satellite TV providers to move their orphan county customers back under the state in which they live, but the process to actually get that done can take years involving numerous steps.

Franklin County has been working on their application since 2015.

The process includes writing letters to the FCC and to the TV networks in the Atlanta market, taking surveys, and holding town hall meetings.

Thomas says the process also calls for a public comment period.

The FCC will now review the Franklin County application and decide if satellite TV customers in Franklin County can switch to the Atlanta TV market.

She said a public comment period will be published in the local newspaper once she hears back from the FCC.