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Graham Brock, Inc. |
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Broadcast Technical Consultants |
| Vol. XI, No. 6 |
R. Stuart Graham, Jr. |
| June 2004 |
Jefferson G. Brock |
The Auctions Are Coming,
the Auctions Are Coming |
Last month we noted that the FM auction process was
beginning again, with some 290 vacant FM channels up for
bid. The auction is scheduled to begin on November 3,
2004. In anticipation of the auctions, the FCC has
issued a Public Notice that a freeze for certain
Petitions for Rule Making and minor change FM
applications is coming. The notice, which was issued on
June 7th, stated that a freeze was now in place which
would not allow the submission of any Petition for Rule
Making (or counterproposals) that would in any way
affect or impact any of the channels slated for auction.
In addition, the FCC would be enforcing a freeze on the
filing of minor change FM (commercial or non-commercial)
applications from July 22 through August 6, allowing for
the submission of FCC Form 175 by parties who wish to
participate in the auction process. The 175 application
indicates the party’s interest in a channel or channels
which will be the subject of the auction, and to specify
a party’s “preferred site”.
Following this short “freeze”, the databases will be
updated to reflect sites of preference for the auction
process. Minor change applications for existing stations
may then be filed, and are required to protect the
auction allocation sites and sites of preference.
Similarly, new Petitions for Rule Making can once again
be submitted, provided they protect the auction
allocation and preferred sites. |
The FCC’s enforcement bureau has been very busy
lately. An AM station in Louisiana was fined for
failing to keep the tower fence gated access point
locked and for having a large enough hole in the
fence to allow access. The initial $17,000 fine was
reduced to $13,600. Another AM station was fined
$11,000 for a failure to have a main studio within
25 miles of the community of license (or elsewhere
in compliance with the rules). The licensee reported
the main studio was 160 miles away, but that it
would re-open a local studio. The station was also
cited for not reducing the power at night. Another
licensee was fined $12,000 for failure to staff its
main studio during business hours and failing to
have a complete public inspection file. |
| Radio stations in Illinois and Wisconsin
must submit their renewal applications by August
1, 2004. These applications require licensees to
re-certify RF exposure compliance for their
tower sites. For stations without co-located
facilities sharing a tower, compliance can
usually be shown using the RF worksheets
associated with the renewal applications.
However, for those with co-located stations, or
which are located on towers with TV stations,
the worksheets cannot be used, an RF study must
be conducted and the results, hopefully showing
compliance, submitted with the renewal
application. So don’t wait until the last minute
to see into which category your station fits. |
| With the onset of the warmer weather,
it’s time to see what needs to be done
outside at tower sites. For AM stations,
keeping the grass (and any other growth)
under control will prevent damage to the
ground systems. The land should be cleared
out to the end of the ground system. This
distance varies based on your AM frequency.
Check your license for the required distance
from the base of the tower and keep it
clear. Also, for all stations, make sure
that the area inside the fences around the
tower bases and guy anchors is clear. |
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