The FCC’s proposal to allow FM translators to rebroadcast the signals of AM stations as a fill-in service has been published in the Federal Register setting the dates for comment. Comments in the proceeding will be due by January 7, 2008, with Reply Comments due on or before February 4, 2008. As we wrote back in August (available here), the Commission’s rule making proposes to allow FM translators to rebroadcast the signal of AM stations – and potentially to originate programming during those nighttime hours when a daytime-only AM station is not permitted to operate. The proposal is to permit AM stations to operate FM translators in an area that is the lesser of a circle 25 miles from their transmitter site or within their 2 mv/m daytime service contour. In proposing the changes in its rules, the Commission raised a number of questions on which it seeks public comment, including whether the proposal is in the public interest, whether there should be a cap on the number of translators an AM station can employ, and whether an extension beyond the AM station’s 2 mv/m contour should be permitted. Please see the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rule Making or our earlier blog entry for further information. Comments can be filed with the Commission in paper or electronically via ECFS, and should refer to MB Docket No. 07-172.