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Category Archives: AM Radio

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Comment Dates Set on FCC Proposals to Change Clear Channel AM Interference Protection Standards

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio
The FCC last month released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking suggesting a lessening of the interference protections afforded to Class A AM stations – what are commonly known as the “clear channel” stations. That NPRM was published in the Federal Register today setting a deadline for filing comments on the FCC’s proposals of January 22… Continue Reading

November Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – EAS Form Three, LPTV and FM Repacking Reimbursement Costs, and FM Translator Long-Form Applications

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, Emergency Communications, FM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Low Power Television/Class A TV
November is perhaps the month with the lightest schedule of routine FCC regulatory filing obligations – with no requirements for EEO Public File Reports, Quarterly Issues Programs or Children’s Television Reports. Nor are there other routine obligations that come up in the course of any year, though during November of 2019, broadcasters will be preparing… Continue Reading

FCC Proposes Lessened Interference Protections for Class A “Clear Channel” AM Stations – What Does This Proposal Mean for AM Revitalization?

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, Emergency Communications, Public Interest Obligations/Localism
Late last week, the FCC issued a “Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking” in its AM Revitalization Proceeding. The FCC has been taking steps over the last several years to attempt to restore AM radio to health. In last week’s Further Notice, the FCC followed up on ideas that it floated in 2016 in a… Continue Reading

Long-Form Applications Due November 5 for FM Translators for AM Stations

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM
Earlier this year, there was a settlement window for mutually exclusive applications in the FCC’s application window for new FM translators for Class A and B AM stations. The FCC yesterday released a list of the applications that are now grantable as a result of conflict resolutions filed during that settlement window. These applicants must… Continue Reading

FCC Quickly Disposes of Proposal for AM Station to Go Silent and Broadcast Exclusively on FM Translator

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM
Only three weeks ago, we wrote about an application for experimental authority filed by an AM station operator in Arizona, seeking permission to cease operating its AM station for a one year test to operate solely with its paired FM translator. We suggested that this proposal portended much for the AM band. However, the FCC… Continue Reading

AM Station Proposes to Test Silencing AM to Operate 100% From a Translator – What Does It Say About the AM Band?

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, Digital Radio, FM Translators and LPFM, Multiple Ownership Rules
The broadcast trade press was abuzz this morning with a report that an Arizona AM station currently simulcasting its programming on an FM translator has asked the FCC for permission to conduct a test where it would shut down its AM for about a year and operate solely through the FM translator. To grant this… Continue Reading

FCC Reminds C-Band Satellite Dish Users – Including Broadcasters – To Register By October 17

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FM Radio, General FCC, Programming Regulations, Television, Tower Issues
On Friday, the FCC issued a reminder to all operators “of fixed-satellite service (FSS) earth stations in the 3.7-4.2 GHz band that were constructed and operational as of April 19, 2018 that the filing window to license or register such earth stations closes on October 17, 2018.” This frequency band is commonly referred to as… Continue Reading

FCC Opens Settlement Window For More Translator Applications in Second Translator Window

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, Broadcast Auctions, FM Translators and LPFM
The FCC last week issued a Public Notice announcing another window for mutually exclusive applicants filed in the second translator window to attempt to resolve the interference conflicts that the FCC found to exist between certain of these applications. A window for such settlements had been opened several months ago, but these are additional applications… Continue Reading

Annual Regulatory Fees Due September 25 – Expect Changes in TV Fees Starting Next Year

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FCC Fees, FM Radio, Television
Just when you thought that it might be safe to stop watching your email and prepare to enjoy the long weekend, the FCC comes along and reminds you that there is work ahead in September. As we warned in our summary of the regulatory dates for broadcasters in September, the FCC announced the deadline for… Continue Reading

September Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – Annual Regulatory Fees; Nationwide EAS Test; Comment Dates on FM Translator Interference, Audio Competition, Children’s Television Requirements, and Reimbursement for LPTV and FM Repacking Costs; and More

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, Broadcast Performance Royalty, Children's Programming and Advertising, Emergency Communications, FCC Fees, FM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report, Intellectual Property, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Multiple Ownership Rules, Music Rights, Programming Regulations, Television
While September is one of those months with neither EEO reports nor Quarterly Issues Programs or Children’s Television Reports, that does not mean that there are no regulatory matters of importance to broadcasters. Quite the contrary – as there are many deadlines to which broadcasters should be paying attention. The one regulatory obligation that in… Continue Reading

Comments Due September 24 on Audio Competition Report – Setting the Stage for Radio Ownership Reform?

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FM Radio, Multiple Ownership Rules
The state of the audio industry will no doubt be a crucial consideration in the next Quadrennial Review of the FCC’s ownership rules, expected to start late this year or early next. But, before that Review begins, the FCC has been tasked by Congress to write a report on the state of competition in the… Continue Reading

More Action Appears to be Coming on AM Revitalization – Looking at Revising Interference Protection for Class A Clear Channel Stations

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, in a speech this week at the Michigan Association of Broadcasters Summer Convention (the text of the speech is available here), announced that he has circulated to the other Commissioners for review and approval a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking looking to make changes to AM interference standards. Specifically, he said that… Continue Reading

FCC Adopts Incubator Program To Assist New Radio Owners – What Does it Provide?

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, EEO Compliance/Diversity, FM Radio, Multiple Ownership Rules
At its meeting last week, the FCC adopted a Report and Order creating an incubator program to incentivize existing broadcasters to assist new entrants to get into broadcast ownership. The FCC in its order last year relaxing TV local ownership rules and abolishing the newspaper-broadcast cross-ownership rule had agreed to adopt an incubator program (see… Continue Reading

FCC Asks for Comments on the State of the Audio Marketplace – A Precursor to Reviewing the Radio Ownership Rules?

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FM Radio, Internet Radio, Multiple Ownership Rules, On Line Media, Uncategorized
The FCC routinely, at the request of Congress, does a study of the Video Marketplace. That study is submitted to Congress so that Congress can use it as a factual basis for any legislative issues that may come up dealing with the TV marketplace. The FCC has not previously done this sort of routine study… Continue Reading

FCC Requires Updating By Broadcasters of EAS Test Reporting System (ETRS) Form One By August 27

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, Emergency Communications, FM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Television
The FCC recently released a Public Notice reminding all EAS participants that they need to file ETRS Form One by August 27, 2018. This form needs to be filed by all radio and TV stations, including LPFM and LPTV stations (unless those LPTV stations simply act as a translator for another station). While the FCC… Continue Reading

NAB Asks For Changes in FCC Local Radio Ownership Rules – What’s Next?

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FM Radio, Multiple Ownership Rules
The National Association of Broadcasters radio board last week voted on a proposal to revise the FCC rules limiting the number of stations that one company can own in a radio market. This proposal was forwarded to the FCC for consideration in the next Quadrennial Review of the FCC’s ownership rules, scheduled to commence at… Continue Reading

FCC Rejects LPFM Informal Objections Against Hundreds of Pending FM Translator Applications

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM
On Friday, the Audio Division of the FCC’s Media Bureau released a letter decision rejecting an objection filed by three groups advocating on behalf of LPFM stations against almost 1000 FM translator applications – most of which were filed to provide FM translators for AM stations in the most recent window for the filing of… Continue Reading

Comments Due July 6 on Proposed Rules for Resolving FM Translator Interference Complaints

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM
The FCC today published in the Federal Register a summary of its proposed rules for resolving complaints of interference to existing full-power stations or other existing FM services from new or relocated FM translators. We summarized the FCC’s proposals in its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking here and here. The publication in the Federal Register triggers… Continue Reading

12 Years of the Broadcast Law Blog – Where We Have Been and What We Are Looking at Next

By David Oxenford on Posted in Advertising Issues, AM Radio, General FCC, Intellectual Property, Music Rights, On Line Media, Television, Uncategorized, Website Issues
In 10 days, we’ll mark the 12th anniversary of my first post welcoming readers to this Blog.  I’d like to thank all of you who read the blog, and the many of you who have had nice words to say about its contents over the years.  In the dozen years that the blog has been… Continue Reading

June Regulatory Dates for Broadcasters – EEO, Translators, Political Rules and Earth Stations

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, EEO Compliance/Diversity, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, License Renewal, Low Power Television/Class A TV, Political Broadcasting, Television, Website Issues
For radio and television stations with 5 or more full-time employees located in Arizona, Idaho, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia, June 1 brings the requirement that you upload to your online inspection file your Annual EEO Public Inspection File Report detailing your employment outreach… Continue Reading

FCC Denies LPFM Advocate’s Petition for Reconsideration of Changes in Rules for Location of FM Translators for AM Stations – Not a Resolution of Informal Objections Against Translator Applications

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM
Earlier this week, the full FCC issued a decision denying a Petition for Reconsideration of the FCC’s 2017 decision to relax the rules on the permissible locations of FM translators for AM stations, allowing them to locate anywhere within the greater of the AM station’s 2 mv/m contour or a circle with a 25 mile… Continue Reading

FCC Opens Rulemaking Proceedings on the Processing of Interference Complaints for FM Translators and Eliminating the Posting of Licenses at Broadcast Control Points

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FM Radio, FM Translators and LPFM, General FCC, Television
At yesterday’s FCC open meeting, the Commission commenced two proceedings of interest to broadcasters. The first deals with the processing of complaints of interference caused by new FM translators. The second proposes to eliminate the need for the posting of station licenses and other FCC authorizations at the control points of broadcast stations. Comments dates in… Continue Reading

License Renewal Cycle Starts in a Year – Crackdown on Silent Stations and Online Public File Signal Warnings to Broadcasters

By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio, FM Radio, License Renewal, Programming Regulations, Public Interest Obligations/Localism, Television
Starting June 1, 2019, just over a year from now, the next broadcast license renewal cycle will begin. By that date, radio stations in DC, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia must file their renewal applications. Every other month for the next 3 years will bring the filing of radio license renewals in another set of… Continue Reading