Dark (broadcasting)
For similar terms, see Dark (disambiguation). In the broadcasting industry, a dark television or silent radio station is one that has gone off the air for an indefinite period of time. Usually unlike dead air (broadcasting only silence), a station that is dark or silent does not even transmit a carrier signal. Contents 1 U.S. law 1.1 Transmitter operations 1.2 Tower-light markings 1.3 Telecommunications Act of 1996 2 See also 3 References U.S. law Transmitter operations According to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a radio or television station is considered to have gone dark or silent if it is to be off the air for 30 days or longer. Prior to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, a "dark" station was required to surrender its broadcast license to the FCC, leaving it vulnerable to another party applying for it while its current owner was making efforts to get it back on the air. Following the 1996 landmark legislation, a licensee is no longer required t...