Dunn County asks FCC to change official local TV market to Eau Claire-La Crosse

The Dunn County Board of Supervisors is formally asking the Federal Communications Commission to give county residents television programming from the La Crosse-Eau Claire TV market rather than from the Twin Cities.

The board earlier this year petitioned the FCC to reassign Dunn County from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul Designated Market Area (DMA) to the La Crosse-Eau Claire DMA. The resolution is intended to ask the FCC to ensure that television viewers, local businesses, and communities across Dunn County are served by a media market that better reflects the region's daily realities and local interests. 

"Rarely a day goes by that I don't hear a complaint about our TV market being dominated by the Twin Cities," said County Manager Dan Dunbar.  "The County Board has heard these complaints as well, and we are trying to address the issue."

A Designated Market Area is a geographic region used by television broadcasters, cable providers, satellite companies and advertisers to determine which local television stations are carried in a particular area. Dunn County has long been assigned to the Minneapolis-Saint Paul DMA, and county officials say that designation fails to reflect the strong ties residents have to the Eau Claire area and the Chippewa Valley. 

The FCC’s authority over DMAs applies to cable and satellite and not to streaming services like YouTube TV and over‑the‑air broadcasting.

The board said many Dunn County residents rely on Eau Claire television stations for local news, school information, community events, public-interest programming and weather information. For many households, officials said, Eau Claire broadcasters provide information that is more relevant to where residents live and work.  

"We feel much more a part of the Chippewa Valley than the Twin Cities metro area," Dunbar said.  "Our TV programming should reflect that."

County leaders also point to public safety concerns: Severe weather alerts, emergency notifications, and other critical information issued by Eau Claire broadcasters usually affect Dunn County much more than the Twin Cities. The County Board said residents should have easier access to timely local information that impacts their neighborhood and daily lives.

"This is more than a matter of convenience or choice," Dunbar said.  "This situation presents real challenges in keeping our residents informed and safe during emergencies." 

In addition, local businesses frequently face significantly higher advertising costs when purchasing television advertising in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul market. Because many of those businesses primarily serve customers within Dunn County and the Eau Claire region, county officials said, the change in markets would reduce advertising and other costs.

Under federal regulations, the FCC has a formal market modification process that allows counties to petition for a change. To be successful, Dunn County must provide substantial evidence demonstrating that Eau Claire and La Crosse broadcasters better serve county residents. The petition will include signal contour maps, geographic and community-interest data, advertising market comparisons, viewership patterns and other supporting documentation. 

"The County Board just wants our TV programming to provide the information that our residents actually depend on in their daily lives," Dunbar said. 

Media release.