Vol. VII, No. 7 - July 2000
700 Applications Filed For LPFM
Following the close of the first low power FM window, the Commission announced that over
seven hundred parties submitted applications for this new FM service. There were several
applications that did not appear on the Public Notice issued by the FCC announcing the number
of applications received. However, this was remedied shortly thereafter. A review of the
Commission's FM database revealed numerous mutually exclusive filings around the major
cities such as Atlanta. Many LPFM applicants have direct competition for their proposed
facilities. The FCC has not announced when it expects to issue construction permits for the first
non-contested applications. The next LPFM window is expected to be opened in August and
applications in Connecticut, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, New
Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Virginia and Wyoming can be filed.
LPTV Window Opens This Month
The FCC has issued a Public Notice that on Monday, July 31st, a window will open for the
submission of new or major change Low Power Television applications. It has been several
years since the Commission has allowed the public the opportunity to file for new LPTV
stations. No applications will be accepted if they are within 75 miles (121 kilometers) of the
over 200 communities listed in the Notice. If your market is outside this distance and you are
interested in a low power TV station, this may be your last opportunity to file for some time.
The LPTV permits that will be issued will have a three year term. It is also expected the
Commission will enact a change to the definition of major and minor changes for LPTV stations
later this year. Currently, LPTV stations cannot apply to extend their protected contours without
being considered a major change. A power increase will be re-defined as a minor change, thus
expanding the possibility for LPTV stations to propose changes without having to wait for a
major change filing window.
Equipment Upgrades
As more and more AM and FM stations age, owners are looking at the heart of the stations' transmission equipment for additional improvements. Many stations have upgraded their studios to include digital editing and reproduction equipment, but many are still operating analog STL systems and processors. These older devices often do not compare favorably with their
newer digital counterparts. The change to digital has forced the replacement of some of the
older STL systems, while the analog composite systems of some stations continue to operate
twenty years after their initial installation. For those facilities not ready to make the digital
audio transition, updating and servicing the analog equipment may be in order. As older
devices, STL's and audio processors most likely require component replacement to maximize
audio output. When was the last time your STL and audio processors were thoroughly checked?
It might be time to do so.
Auxiliary Facilities Licenses
You have just contracted to sell your stations and you begin the process of making sure
everything is in order. You have the licenses for the main station in hand, but what about the
licenses for the five STL's used to relay the programming to the transmitter sites? What about
the licenses for the three telemetry return link systems, not to mention the six remote units that
operate on different frequencies? As station sales continue and studio and transmitter
consolidation occurs, it is not unusual to find that the STL licenses reflect data from three
owners ago and are licensed for a location which is now a strip mall. The FCC attempted to find
out what was actually in use in late 1998, but there are still many stations operating with STL
and remote systems whose licenses do not reflect the proper data. It is always wise to make sure
the licenses are in order and insure FCC compliance before the sale is underway.
NAB Attendees Will Soon Head To The City By The Bay
The NAB Radio Show moves west to San Francisco in October, a month later than last year's
show in Orlando (Boy, was it hot in Florida last August). It has been nine years since the NAB
made its last visit to this northern California city. Representatives of Graham Brock, Inc. will be
making the trek west and would like to see as many of you as possible. Please let us know if you
or someone from your company will be there.
Tired of Snail Mail?
If you would like to receive our monthly newsletter by e-mail, please forward your name and e-mail address to news@grahambrock.com.