First of all, I am really glad the site is now on this format. It's nice being able to blog like this.
I have been reading all of the talk about reallotting Channel 5 and 6 TV spectrum (76-88 MHz) to audio broadcasting. As you may know, REC has spoken in favor of it and we will continue to.
However, the latest proposal by the commercial interests are unacceptable as it pretty much wipes away the AM broadcast band and while I agree that AM stations should be heard with less interference and other phenomenon that takes place in that neck of the spectrum, broadcasters already have a place to put their AM stations. Yes, on the multi-cast streams of their co-owned FM stations. This is why I spoke out in the past supporting AM translators for "stand-alone" AM stations (those who are not co-owned with an FM in the market). With that said, I would even go out on a limb to support ONLY stand-alone AM stations migrating to the expanded FM band. HOWEVER, their service contour on extended FM station must not substantially exceed their their AM daytime service contour.
Technology. Simply put, we do not have time to develop new technology. We do not need another Ibiquity out there trying to impose their royaltyware on us. I say for the extended band, KEEP IT ANALOG for now. Some will say that there are no radios out there. There are and they will come from the country that revolutionized the modern consumer electrics industry. Yes, lovely Nippon, Japan. The Japanese FM broadcast band is 76-92 MHz. Threrefore, Japanese radios can be very easily imported to cover this band. If an individual really wants to listen to an LPFM station operated in the lower band, they will hunt down the radios until they are more available in the mainstream.
I feel however that no matter how hard either side (LPFM vs. commercial interests) tries to obtain this spectrum, the FCC is going to knock it down. Although it would be very heavily opposed by the NAB and most of the Republicans, we need to add language to the community radio acts or separate legislation that takes Channels 5 and 6 out of the core television channels and to restrict operating powers or coverage areas. I feel this is the only way we will get this spectrum.
Finally, I hear that taking Channels 5 and 6 from television will hurt "community based LPTV" stations. While there are some community based LPTV stations, there's also community based LPFM, NCE and even commercial radio stations. If we can open up 60 analog channels with as many of 30 ofthem available in a given market, is that not a more efficient use of spectrum? Also, not all LPTV stations are community based. Most LPTV stations that I see, especially in urban markets carry either a Spanish or home shopping channel via satellite and there is no local origination. Some LPTV stations are forgetting about their picture and are using their Channel 6 LPTV station as a radio station on 87.7FM.
Anyway, these are just my thoughts on this issue. Please keep the band analog and we will worry about digital later.
=m
