FCC Eliminates Duplication Rule

[TheBigA]

The FCC has eliminated the Duplication Rule, in place since 1964. When it was first enacted, it required co-owned AM-FM stations to separate their formats, rather than duplicate one station on both signals. The rule was revised in 1992. Stations have been getting waivers to duplicate an AM news or talk format on their co-owned FM. Now full duplication is possible:

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-366001A1.pdf

In today’s Order, the Commission finds that eliminating the radio duplication rule will help struggling stations stay on the air;
afford broadcast radio licensees greater flexibility to address issues of local concern in a timely
fashion, particularly in times of crisis; assist with format changes; facilitate a potential
voluntary digital transition in the AM service; and ultimately allow stations to improve service
to their communities. The Commission also concludes that broadcasters have no incentive to
limit their appeal and thus their revenues by simulcasting the same programming on multiple
stations for long periods of time so the benefits of providing additional flexibility outweigh any
costs.

 

[davideduardo]

The FCC has eliminated the Duplication Rule, in place since 1964. When it was first enacted, it required co-owned AM-FM stations to separate their formats, rather than duplicate one station on both signals. The rule was revised in 1992. Stations have been getting waivers to duplicate an AM news or talk format on their co-owned FM. Now full duplication is possible:

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-366001A1.pdf

The original non-duplication rule did allow daytime AM stations to fully be duplicated on FM, and smaller markets under 100,000 population were exempted. There were some initial waivers, too. The rule required a minimum of 50% non-duplication.

The rule on 50% maximum duplication went into effect on December 13, 1965 but waivers were granted to a few stations through January of 1966. While the rule was created in 1964, it did not go into full effect until early '66.

There were some interesting adaptations to the rule, too. WPAT in the NYC market simply repeated one day's AM programming 24 hours later on FM. Quite a few stations only split after 6 PM, and non-duplicated in the hours of darkness. This caused quite a few stations that had not been 24/7 to begin operating 168 hours a week to comply while still duplicating 6 AM to 6 PM broadcasts.

Less known is the rule that went into effect in 1960 whereby FM stations had to broadcast a minimum of 16 hours (IIRC). Before that, the Cleveland market FM I was a part-timer at ran only 5 PM to 11 PM, Monday to Saturday in what was then a top 20 market. That requirement got me my first full weekend shift... 16 straight hours!

 

[TheBigA]

Less known is the rule that went into effect in 1960 whereby FM stations had to broadcast a minimum of 16 hours (IIRC). Before that, the Cleveland market FM I was a part-timer at ran only 5 PM to 11 PM, Monday to Saturday in what was then a top 20 market.

Seems to me that wasn't unusual for AMs in the 30s to be only on the air for certain dayparts. I did some research of newspapers in the 30s, and they listed times when radio stations were on and off. The radio networks weren't continuous either.

 

[davideduardo]

Seems to me that wasn't unusual for AMs in the 30s to be only on the air for certain dayparts. I did some research of newspapers in the 30s, and they listed times when radio stations were on and off. The radio networks weren't continuous either.

That was more a 20's thing. It took a bunch of people to keep a station running, so they would often just do one and two hour blocks.

That practice started with the first experimental stations prior to WW II, where they would go on for an hour, do a poem, a piano piece, a short talk, and then sign off.

Before real regulation in the later 20's, many, many stations shared frequencies, even if they were in different cities. By the time of the FRC reassignments and "band clearing" in the '27-'28 period, most stations were on for more extended time, if not the whole day. There were still some shared frequencies (a few still exist). And by the time the FCC came around, in the early 30's, most significant stations were on for a full schedule.

In fact, the FCC even had a provision for "limited time" stations back then... university stations and smaller markets where the economics required shorter broadcast hours.

 

[KeithE4]

That was more a 20's thing. It took a bunch of people to keep a station running, so they would often just do one and two hour blocks.

That practice started with the first experimental stations prior to WW II, where they would go on for an hour, do a poem, a piano piece, a short talk, and then sign off.

Before real regulation in the later 20's, many, many stations shared frequencies, even if they were in different cities. By the time of the FRC reassignments and "band clearing" in the '27-'28 period, most stations were on for more extended time, if not the whole day. There were still some shared frequencies (a few still exist). And by the time the FCC came around, in the early 30's, most significant stations were on for a full schedule.

In fact, the FCC even had a provision for "limited time" stations back then... university stations and smaller markets where the economics required shorter broadcast hours.

KDEC/KWLC 1240 Decorah IA is the last, AFAIK, now that WCEV Chicago left the air in January, leaving 1450 to WRLL.

 

[semoochie]

That was more a 20's thing. It took a bunch of people to keep a station running, so they would often just do one and two hour blocks.

That practice started with the first experimental stations prior to WW II, where they would go on for an hour, do a poem, a piano piece, a short talk, and then sign off.

Before real regulation in the later 20's, many, many stations shared frequencies, even if they were in different cities. By the time of the FRC reassignments and "band clearing" in the '27-'28 period, most stations were on for more extended time, if not the whole day. There were still some shared frequencies (a few still exist). And by the time the FCC came around, in the early 30's, most significant stations were on for a full schedule.

In fact, the FCC even had a provision for "limited time" stations back then... university stations and smaller markets where the economics required shorter broadcast hours.

...and then there was the time when everyone operated on 833kc!

 

[semoochie]

The original non-duplication rule did allow daytime AM stations to fully be duplicated on FM, and smaller markets under 100,000 population were exempted. There were some initial waivers, too. The rule required a minimum of 50% non-duplication.

The rule on 50% maximum duplication went into effect on December 13, 1965 but waivers were granted to a few stations through January of 1966. While the rule was created in 1964, it did not go into full effect until early '66.

There were some interesting adaptations to the rule, too. WPAT in the NYC market simply repeated one day's AM programming 24 hours later on FM. Quite a few stations only split after 6 PM, and non-duplicated in the hours of darkness. This caused quite a few stations that had not been 24/7 to begin operating 168 hours a week to comply while still duplicating 6 AM to 6 PM broadcasts.

Less known is the rule that went into effect in 1960 whereby FM stations had to broadcast a minimum of 16 hours (IIRC). Before that, the Cleveland market FM I was a part-timer at ran only 5 PM to 11 PM, Monday to Saturday in what was then a top 20 market. That requirement got me my first full weekend shift... 16 straight hours!

I'm a little confused by the 1965 date. I used to listen to an AM daytimer/FM station that changed to Top 40 in 1969. It was a full simulcast that came out to 52%. They rearranged the Sunday morning religion and public affairs shows and that's all it took to make 50%. Was there an additional rule change in 1969?

 

[bossbill]

That was more a 20's thing. It took a bunch of people to keep a station running, so they would often just do one and two hour blocks.

That practice started with the first experimental stations prior to WW II, where they would go on for an hour, do a poem, a piano piece, a short talk, and then sign off.

Before real regulation in the later 20's, many, many stations shared frequencies, even if they were in different cities. By the time of the FRC reassignments and "band clearing" in the '27-'28 period, most stations were on for more extended time, if not the whole day. There were still some shared frequencies (a few still exist). And by the time the FCC came around, in the early 30's, most significant stations were on for a full schedule.

In fact, the FCC even had a provision for "limited time" stations back then... university stations and smaller markets where the economics required shorter broadcast hours.

"Specified Hours" used to be a thing in small markets. An example was a full-timer Class IV AM, allowed to operate 6:30am-6:30pm Mon-Sat, and 8am-4pm on Sunday, plus staying on the air for high school sports on Friday and Saturday evening.