Stephens County’s application to FCC expected to be uploaded soon

Stephens County has finalized its application to the Federal Communications Commission.

That’s according to Stephens County Administrator Phyllis Ayers.

She says that the final version of the County’s FCC application to move to the Atlanta TV stations should be sent out very soon.

“I approved the final draft on Friday. So now we’re waiting on GMRC to upload the entire application. I’ll have to check and see what day they plan to upload the file,” Ayers said.

Ayers adds that once the Georgia Mountains Regional Commission (GMRC) uploads the application, then the FCC will begin review process.

Ayers pointed out however, that there has been no delay in the orphan county FCC application as may have been perceived by the public.

She says the four counties involved had agreed two years ago to submit their applications in a certain order.

“The four counties agreed and I’m telling you this because I’m hearing all kinds of negativity from the community on why we’re so far behind the other counties,” she said. “This was the plan from the beginning when the process started in 2016. We had four county managers that had no expertise in this field. And Beth Thomas in Franklin County led the path. And she asked to take the lead. So when she ran into a bush, we all ran into that bush and she would get that information to clear that bush for all of us. So this part of a master plan.”

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.

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.

WNEG News will provide continued coverage as more information is released.