The FCC completed accepting comments for Docket MB Docket No. 19-310 concerning duplication of radio programming.  Under the FCC's Modernization of Media Regulation Initiative, the current administration is leaving no stoned unturned to dispose of pesky regulations that the industry would rather not have.

Last year, Las Vegas nonprofit Chinese Voice of Golden City, licensee of KQLS-LP Las Vegas, found that the coordinates of its already-built and operating Low Power FM station were a little off from their licensed location.  Within self-review of their facilities, they found that the antenna coordinates were 256 feet off from their licensed coordinates.  With candor, they filed with the FCC to correct the mistake via modification of license form.  Additionally, with due diligence, they filed for an

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the AM/FM (Ask Musicians For Music, HR 5219) act was introduced in U.S. Congress. 

It’s the latest version of a bill dealing with the creation of a performance royalty for AM/FM radio. 

At present, terrestrial-broadcast radio doesn’t pay musicians or the audio-recording owners in the United States — although songwriters and publishers do get paid via licensing agencies such as ASCAP, BMI and SESAC.

The term "Franken FM" was adopted sometime in the last decade to describe the anomalous analog Low Power Television stations licensed on analog Channel 6 frequencies (82-88 MHz).  Because the aural carrier for NTSC analog televisions stations is located at 87.76 MHz, select Channel 6 stations in certain markets persist, purposefully opting not to transition to digital to specifically take advantage of using 87.7 FM as an FM radio station (rather than positioned as a television station).  In the "old days", if you had a Channel 6 station local to you, you probably noticed

FCC rules Section 73.3580 require broadcasters to give local "public notice" in newspapers when filing specific types of applications with the Commission.  This is enforced by Section 311(a) of the Communications Art.  Within the last three years the Commission has been in a deregulatory spree, engrossed with parsing every nook and cranny of regulation to find ways to modernize or reduce rules for broadcasters.  The FCC recently opened a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for MB Docket No.

The FCC just recently released a draft of the Report of Order for MB Docket No. 19-3, a rulemaking concerning modifications to the rules that dictate the procedures for conflicting applications for new non-commercial educational (NCE) FM and low power FM stations, sharetimes, and other odds and ends.  Highlights to changes to the rules are as followed:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, via the Federal Communications Commission, often has not had the best communications channels broadcasters when it comes to promulgating the yearly national Emergency Alert System (EAS) tests and updated EAS requirements.  While commercial broadcasters usually have legal representatives providing them with updates, non-commercial and low power broadcasters hear about these things word-of-mouth. 

Reply comments concerning rulemaking, MB Docket Nos. 19-193, 17-105, "Amendments of Parts 73 and 74 to Improve the LPFM Radio Service Technical Rules" just concluded November 4, 2019.  What is seen as a positive development, the FCC has provided a rulemaking to fix some of the small technical rules concerning Low Power broadcasting.  Common Frequency applauds the Commission offering this opportunity.  However, there is some lingering malaise concerning the state of LPFM which hangs over LP operators and advocates.  First, there is a feeling of helplessness that the Commission disregards its obligations associated with the Local Community Radio Act, which has lead to a give-away of spectrum in places that should have been reserved for LPFM service under the law.  Places like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma has seen seen all of its secondary service spectrum allotted to translator service when a part was supposed to be reserved for LPFM use.  Second, concerning this latest rulemaking, the impetus for this proceeding was Rec Network's Petition for Rulemaking RM-11810 and RM-11749 which proposed a power upgrade for LPFM service.  The avoided subject matter is that these issues are intertwined with the current political environment.  A Republican Commission is traditionally more subservient to the concerns of business lobbyists versus public interest measures.  This has created an impasse on the subject of a 250 watt upgrade for LPFM (or "LP-250").

Bustos Media LLC from Portland, Oregon is the archetype of a commercial minority broadcaster success story.  Amador Bustos immigrated to the United States, received degrees from UC Berkeley, served on the Redwood City School board, and formed Bustos Media in Sacramento, California in the early 2000’s.  After a first network of stations was sold off, another chain of Spanish-language stations was established in Washington and Oregon headquartered in Portland.  The outfit also runs two Russian-language format under local management agreements.  Bustos carving out a market for minority-run commercial outfit for foreign-language programming is a laudable endeavor.