LPFM

This is a response to a letter to Radio World by Daniel Brown, Zebra Radio who was responding to Michelle Bradley of REC's previous letter to Radio World.

This is a response to a Radio World op ed by Larry Langford, owner of WGTO(AM), Cassopolis, MI.

This response was also published in Radio World online on May 14, 2021.  The originally submitted response follows:

On May 3, 2021, a Report and Order released by the FCC went into effect.  This Order did not change the radio frequency (RF) exposure guidelines but it does require that stations verify that their antenna structures meet the RF guidelines.  It also defines the format for signs in areas where exposure levels exceed the minimum exposure guidelines.  Stations are not required to make any filings with the FCC after this verification is done.  St

Updated May 29, 2024

In Thursday’s edition of the Federal Register, the Federal Communications Commission has announced that it has received approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on various rule changes involving information collection and/or changes to forms.

The Federal Communications Commission has denied a Petition for Reconsideration filed in MB Docket 19-3 (the NCE/LPFM administrative rulemaking proceeding) on procedural grounds, upholding the long-standing “one winner per group” policy when resolving mutually exclusive (MX)/competing applications where multiple applications could not be granted due to contour overlap (NCE) or distance separation (LPFM) requirements.  

The Petition, filed by Discount Legal called for the Commission to re-look at “secondary grants”, which are situations of where, after eliminating less than qualified applications or applications that did not meet FCC requirements would create a “stray” applicant that would otherwise be grantable if the unqualified applicants are removed. 

REC Networks has filed a statement with the FCC in MB Docket 19-193 to offer a compromise solution that would allow LPFM stations to use “hand me down” transmitters that were formerly in service by other broadcast and FM translator stations while still protecting the integrity of the spectrum from dangerous uncertified equipment.

In our Opposition to the two Petitions for Reconsideration filed in this proceeding, REC addressed some concerns to the petition filed by Todd Urick where it comes to permitting transmitters that have not been specifically type-certified into the LPFM service.  Currently, §73.1660(a)(2) requires LPFM stations to use certified transmitters.

In our Reply statement, REC has recognized that LPFM stations have had to miss out on opportunities to receive used surplus transmission equipment that may have been recently removed from service at a full-service or FM translator station due to changes at the station such as a digital audio chain and/or HD Radio. 

Several changes to the FCC Rules from the recent LPFM Technical Change Order (MB Docket 19-193) were published today in the Federal Register.  Many of the rules will take effect on July 13, 2020.  Some rules, which require a change to FCC forms or other changes to information collection need to go through another step with the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) before they are effective.  The various rules that will go into effect on July 13 include:

Sharing of EAS decoders.

Riverton, MD (May 28, 2020) : REC Networks has filed with the FCC a new Petition for Rulemaking to create an additional 250-watt class of service for Low Power FM (LPFM).  The new “Simple 250” plan addresses the issues that were expressed by the Commission in the Report and Order of MB Docket 19-193 regarding additional complexity to the application process and compliance with the Local Community Radio Act of 2010 (LCRA).

Revised October 3, 2023

In the early 1960s, in the aftermath of the payola scandals in radio and the fixed quiz show scandals in television’s golden era, Congress passed legislation that required broadcasters to be more transparent to the public. At first, many of the laws were very restrictive and burdensome and would get eventually legislated away over time. One portion of the law that has survived is enshrined in Section 311(a) of the Communications Act, which reads: