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Graham Brock, Inc. |
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Broadcast Technical Consultants |
| Vol. XVI, No. 7 |
R. Stuart Graham, Jr. |
| July 2009 |
Jefferson G. Brock |
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Once before the FCC was poised to issue
its Report and Order regarding the retransmission of AM
stations on FM translators, only to hold off at the last
minute. Late last month, ahead of a scheduled meeting
during which the Commission was to address the matter,
they issued the Report and Order. The rules are those
which have been used for the preparation of STA
requests; the translator’s 60 dBu contour cannot extend
beyond the daytime 2.0 mV/m contour of the AM station,
or beyond a 25 miles radius drawn from the AM site,
whichever is less. However, only those translators
authorized either by permit or license prior to May 1,
2009 may be used to retransmit AM stations. Therefore,
any presently pending application for a new FM
translator filed during the 2003 filing window cannot be
used for the purpose of AM retransmission. The Order
notes that subsequent filing windows for new FM
translators may revisit this matter. The Commission also
noted that it expects the next filing window for FM
facilities to be for LPFM stations (at a date not yet
announced) and not for new FM translators. The rules go
into effect thirty days after publication of the Report
and Order in the Federal Register. Once implemented,
translators which are presently retransmitting AM
stations under an STA are to submit a letter changing
the retransmit station from its authorized FM station to
the appropriate AM station. The letter should also
include a map showing compliance with the rules. |
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Two LPTV Windows Announced |
Now that full power TV stations have completed (for
the most part) transition to DTV operation, the
Commission has indicated it will now accept
applications for new or major change filings for
LPTV and TV translators. Only applications for
digital operation will be accepted. This first
window, which will open August 25th, will be limited
to only those stations which are more than 121
kilometers (75 miles) from major metropolitan areas
(top 100 DMA markets). These applications will be
submitted and reviewed on a first-come, first-served
basis. Beginning on January 25, 2010, applications
for new or major changes to existing stations may be
submitted without geographic restrictions. These
filings will also be on a first-come, first-served
basis. The Public Notice reminded applicants that
full-power stations may be making adjustments to
power and/or authorized channels, as their digital
operations are optimized. A link to the Notice with
the list of restricted markets for the first window
is noted below. Existing analog (and digital) LPTV
stations can file for displacement at anytime. Class
A stations and TV translators can also file for
digital flash-cut at anytime as well.
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-09-1487A1.pdf |
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Annual Regulatory Fees Are Going Up |
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The proposed FCC annual regulatory fees have
been announced. AM and FM fees are based on
station class and population served. The
smallest is for a Class C AM station serving a
population of less than 25,000 persons ($500).
The highest is for either a Class B, C2, C1, C0
or Class C with a service population of more
than 3,000,000 persons ($10,850). TV station
fees are based on the VHF or UHF channel and the
market in which the station operates. The fees
range from $1,950 to $77,575. Broadcast
auxiliary stations (STL’s, RPU’s, etc.) are $10.
LPTV, TV/FM translators and boosters are $400. |
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NAB in the Northeast This Fall |
| The annual National
Association of Broadcasters Radio Show will take
place September 23rd through the 25th in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Stu and Jeff are
planning to attend. If you would like to meet during
the show, please let us know. |
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AM NSRC
Measurements |
| Once again
annual AM NSRC Measurements are due. We
will be traveling in the southeast in
August. Please let us know if you want
us to conduct your NRSC Measurements. |
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