As part of the Revitalization of the AM Radio Service Proceeding, the FCC has pulled all the stops, considering a proposal from Bryan Broadcasting Corporation to migrate AM broadcast to all-digital. On November 22, the Commission voted to adopt a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to solicit comments for the public and broadcasters to complete
From January 29, 2020 until February 11, 2020 the FCC will not be allowing the submission of minor change applications to be filed from both non-commercial and commercial broadcasters as window for filing Form 175 application for select FM channels will be occurring for Auction 106. See here. More information on Auction 106 is available here.
Filing window for new LPTV channels? Before anyone gets too excited, lets unpack this. In 2009 the FCC opened a filing window for rural digital LPTV/translator stations and then later froze those filings because those applications could have the the possibility to be displaced by the impending Incentive Auction. The FCC was in the process of repacking television bandwidth (reducing the band available to television) to clear spectrum out for wireless usage. With the completion of that process a decade later (long waits are common for anything processed by the FCC), the FCC is ready to pi
In a public notice released November 22, the FCC asks whether to modify or eliminate the "radio duplication rule." We notice that any time lately when the Commission has proposed to take away any public interest rules where the benefit is not clear, they are obliged throw-in a superlative to make it seem like "since the rule is extremely old, why does it even pertain to the current technology era?" Here they used the word "Commission seeks comment on decades-old radio duplication rule". Previous headlines include "...Outdated and Burdensome Regulations.." (regarding elim
The FCC has released Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, MB Docket No. 19-282, for comment on revising Sections 73.239 and 73.635 of the Commission's rules concerning use of common antenna sites. These rules allow for access to common FM radio and TV antenna sites. The rules, going back to the 1940's, prohibit the grant or renewal of a license for an FM or TV station if that licensee/tower owner monopolizes a key site in a very suitable area but does not make it available for use by other broadcasters.
On November 21, 2019 the FCC's Media Bureau is hosting a Symposium on future trends in broadcasting at the FCC's headquarters,, 445 12th St, SW, Room TW-C305, Washington, DC.
Guest from Beasley, Radio Ink Magazine, Univision, Nextstar, Nielsen and others will be there although it appears nobody representing non-commercial media (community radio, PBS, NPR, etc) is schedules on the panel.
More information is here.
Comments sought by FCC on competitive bidding procedures for Auction 106 Dkt No 19-290
Announces auction of FM broadcast construction permits and seeks comment on auction procedures. Comments Due: November 6, 2019; Reply Comments Due: November 20, 2019 See DA-19-1027A1.pdf DA-19-1027A2.pdf
Comment Reply Com Docket
Oct. 15 Docket 18-202; FNPRM Kidvid rules
Nov. 4 Docket 19-177; NPRM EEO compliance and enforcement
Oct. 15 Docket 17-317; FNPRM Must-carry notifications
Oct 21 Noc 3 Docket 19-193; NPRM LPFM Technical Rules
FCC is accepting public comment on MB Docket 19-193, which is a rule making on improving the technical rules for Low Power FM radio. The rulemaking was originally a response to proposals by LPFM advocate Rec Networks' RM-11749 and RM-11810 requesting the Commission to consider an upgrade in LPFM broadcast power to 250 watts ERP. The Republican-controlled FCC dismissed the request an offered some minor tweaks to the FCC LPFM rules including: