FCC To Auction Alexandria Channel after Paying $10M Take it Silent

A full-power TV channel within the Minneapolis market that went silent as a result of the spectrum auction could potentially return to the air as a result of a new FCC auction.

CBS received $9,987,598 to take KCCO-TV/7 (Alexandria) off the air permanently as part of the spectrum auction. The channel was not reallocated to any other station as part of the spectrum repack that followed the auction.

Despite channel 7 being paid to go off the air, it was never removed from the table of allotments. That led to its inclusion in the auction.

The Alexandria allotment is one of 27 nationwide slated to be part of FCC Auction 112, which is expected to take place in June 2022. (See separate article for a list of all Upper Midwest allotments included in the auction)

The Alexandria allotment has a starting bid of $500,000 for the license.

Since Alexandria is within the Minneapolis market, it would not be possible for a new station to affiliate with any major network unless it had an agreement with the Minneapolis affiliate.

However, if operated as a standalone station, the new Alexandria station would be able to exert must-carry rights on cable and satellite providers across the Minneapolis market, as has been done by outlying stations in markets such as Denver, Salt Lakes City, and Los Angeles.

Alexandria was considered its own market when KCMT-TV signed on in 1958. The former Alexandria market was folded into the Minneapolis market in the 1980s when the owner of WCCO-TV bought KCMT and converted it into KCCO, a satellite of WCCO. (The deal also included KCMT satellite KNMT/12 Walker, which still exists as KCCW.)

The Alexandria area is also served by KSAX/42.1 (Alexandria), which is a satellite of ABC affiliate KSTP-TV (St. Paul), as well as local low-power Independent outlet “Kool TV,” numerous translator systems relaying Minneapolis stations, and full-power PBS station KWCM/10 (Appleton).