that MTN broadcast on, allowed MTN to reach a total of two million viewers in six states. 2010s Ending As the television industry moved from being broadcast on an analog over the air signal to a digital broadcast signal, the FCC decided to benefit citizens by selling some of its television airwave frequencies to wireless telephone carriers in order to free up frequencies that would increase and improve nationwide cell phone and wi-fi capabilities. The FCC decided to hold an FCC Spectrum auction. These broadcast signals were given values of importance based upon two primary factors the station's over the air broadcast signal reached, and how much interference each station's broadcast signal caused to other stations’ broadcast signals in the surrounding region. During Terry Smith's tenure at MTN, he had worked hard to create an MTN broadcast signal that increased its broadcast reach to the greatest number of people possible throughout a several state area, and had worked to extend the MTN signal as far and with as much strength as possible into other broadcast signal areas. This resulted in MTN's broadcast signal becoming more valuable than nearly any comparably-sized television station in America, and as the 208 rounds and 4 stages of the FCC Incentive Auction unfolded over a two-year period, the MTN broadcast signal continued to be a necessary part of the FCC's wireless auction plan. Even though very few television stations in America remained at the end of the auction after 4 stages and 208 auction rounds, MTN was still needed as one of the auction's essential components, and the FCC chose to take the WLNN-CD frequency as part of the Spectrum auction. On November 30, 2017, the station closed. The station's license was cancelled by the FCC on November 12, 2018. See also Channel 18 branded TV stations in the United States Channel 24 low-power TV stations in the United States References External links MTN 18 News on Facebook Television channels and stations established in 1989 1989 establishments in North Carolina Television channels and stations disestablished in 2018 2018 disestablishments in North Carolina Defunct television stations in the United States LNN-LP Low-power television stations in the United States LNN-LP