Corrected to reflect that the additional 20 translators must remain in rural areas.
REC Networks is satisfied with the FCC's decision where it comes to FM translators. The extension of the 50-cap to a 70-cap with a limitation that translators 51 through 70 are in rural areas will not substantially impact the availability of LPFM in urban areas and still puts restrictions on the most egregious filers. For these additional 20 translators, they must remain in rural areas for the next 4 years and they can't overlap any other commonly owned translator or translator application.
On the "one-to-a-market" issue, we accept the Commission's "three-to-a-market" expansion with the provisions to protect LPFM and to prevent contour overlap with other commonly-owned interests. This is consistent with what we asked for in our comments in the petition for reconsideration. This will allow translators and LPFM to co-exist in suburban and rural portions of Arbitron counties with no adverse impacts on the urban availability of LPFM.
The work that needs to be done in the wake of the Auction 83 "Great Translator Invasion" filing window is not finished. We must close the loopholes in FM translator regulations that make the translator invasion happen in the first place.
Best of luck to the translator and LPFM applicants. We will issue a statement on LPFM later.
Michi Eyre
Founder, REC Networks
11/30/2012
