By David Oxenford on Posted in AM RadioThe FCC yesterday released a Public Notice announcing the receipt of the Petition for Rulemaking asking that the FCC allow AM stations the option to operate an all-digital facility. We wrote about that Petition here. Currently, AM digital operations are allowed only in a hybrid mode – where the station transmits both an analog and… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio,Digital Radio,FM Translators and LPFM,Multiple Ownership RulesThe 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
By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio,FM Translators and LPFMAt the NAB Radio Show in Dallas in September, FCC Commissioner Pai promised that the FCC would take action to revitalize the AM band (see our story here). For years, AM has suffered a gradual erosion in listening, as interference on the band has increased – not necessarily from other AM stations, but instead from background… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital Radio,Digital Television,General FCC,Incentive Auctions/Broadband Report,TelevisionAfter Thanksgiving – everyone’s thoughts turn to technology policy. Well, maybe not everyone, but reading Thursday’s New York Times, David Pogue wrote his column celebrating his 10th anniversary in the paper with observations about truths that he has discovered about the technology world. Many of those same truths apply to broadcast policy, and are particularly relevant… Continue Reading
By Brendan Holland on Posted in Digital Radio,FM RadioThe FCC’s January 2010 Order authorizing FM radio stations to increase power on their hybrid digital radio operations was published in the Federal Register on Thursday establishing the effective date of the new rules as May 10th. As we wrote earlier, the Commission’s Order allows stations to increase from the current maximum permissible level of one percent of authorized… Continue Reading
By Brendan Holland on Posted in Digital Radio,FM RadioThis afternoon the Commission released an Order authorizing FM radio stations to increase power on their hybrid digital radio operations. This power increase is a welcome boost to HD radio operations and was eagerly awaited by many FM stations broadcasting in digital. In a nutshell, the rule change allows stations to increase from the current maximum permissible… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in FM Translators and LPFMLast month, the FCC released a Public Notice requesting further comments on the proposal to increase the power of HD radio operations. We have written about that proceeding a number of times, including posts here and here. The increased power for the digital radio signals has been sought by many broadcasters who believe that current HD radio… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital RadioNPR Labs has announced that it is going to conduct a further study, financed by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, of the potential of interference from a proposed increase in the power of HD Radio operations. Last year, NPR had raised issues with the proposal by Ibiquity and a number of commercial broadcasters for power increases in the digital… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital Radio,FM RadioThe FCC has requested public comment on the proposal (about which we wrote here) to increase the power of the digital radio transmissions from 1 per cent of a primary station’s power to 10 per cent of that station’s power. The proposal to increase power for stations using the HD Radio system is supposed to help… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital RadioA recent proposal to increase the power levels at which HD Radio stations operate – to improve coverage and, perhaps more importantly, building penetration so that people can receive digital channels inside buildings – has been the subject of a cautionary study released by National Public Radio. That study was summarized in a story in… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital RadioThe FCC recently issued a Notice of Inquiry, asking if it should consider mandating that XM Sirius receivers also be able to receive HD Radio or to play material from other audio sources. This proceeding was promised as part of the FCC’s approval of the XM-Sirius merger, as a potential way of ensuring that competition in the audio entertainment… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in Digital Radio,FM RadioIn a proposal filed by many of the nation’s largest radio broadcasters, a request was made that the FCC allow FM stations operating with the HD Radio (or "IBOC system" – for "In Band On Channel" as the digital signal is transmitted on the same channel as the current analog signal) to increase power by up… Continue Reading
By David Oxenford on Posted in AM Radio,Digital Radio,FM RadioLast Friday, the rules on over-the-air digital radio for AM and FM stations – the IBOC system or, as it is commonly known, HD Radio – became effective. The most immediate effect of the new rules, which we summarized here, is the ability of AM stations to operate using the IBOC system at night. The Commission determined that such… Continue Reading
