Well said, and a missed point with everyone who assumes translators are destined to be the savior of AM stations. They're like dropping you from a helicopter into the middle of the Pacific Ocean with only a pair of water wings to stay aflot. Sure, it's better than nothing, but probably not enough to save one's life in the long haul.
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FCC to consider ongoing operation of existing FM6/Franken FMs, Expanded FM Band and Elimination of Reserved Band Protection Requirements
- Thread starter Michi
- Start date
The problem is to properly implement a full migration, it would result in a displacement of all TV stations (including primary ones). In the countries that have already did these migrations (Japan and Brazil), their national associations represent radio broadcasters. The one for the Untied States, represents both radio and TV. You will never see a proposal like this come out of the NAB because it would be a conflict of interest.
Also, since the REC WIDE-FM proposal only calls for one channel to be used for primary stations (Channel 6 in most of the country, Channel 5 in some portions of the country, including NYC), this does leave a lot of room for a future primary use by AM stations wanting to do full migrations. In the past, REC had built plans that would migrate AM stations giving priority to C and D stations. We built two models, one with primary spectrum sharing and one with full displacement. The full displacement plan was able to migrate most Class Cs and Ds and some Bs over. This concept was put on record in the past and it had no interest or movement.
The 2022 WIDE-FM plan moves forward on what the FCC cracked the door open on, a long overdue extension of the reserved NCE band. REC proposed using 20 channels (83.1~86.9 in most places, 77.1~80.9 in areas where Channel 6 is an issue but Channel 5 is not). While this will bring new NCE to many large cities like LA, NYC, SF, Chicago and Detroit.. Philadelphia, DC, Atlanta and Baltimore are still out because of double exclusions from both primary channel 5 and 6 stations. Our plan calls for LPTV displacement (mostly on Ch. 6) but it calls for no full-service/Class A TV displacement.
Including; less space for LPTV, but more religious radio stations.
Just what we need.
Actually, less Jewelry TV and more local radio stations (our proposal calls for only local orgs to be in the first filing window series).
I hope that works. It was saddening to see a program provider (for a network) traffic permits to that network in the last window. All legal as far as I can tell.
NAB unsurprisingly opposes the expansion of radio service into unused TV spectrum.
Of course they would. No offense, but it's a dumb idea. Saturation in most larger markets is already a problem.
Agreed, @Kelly A , however the NAB has been known to look out for their own interests first, before they have enough reasoning to back it up. We all know that the FM band is overly full, but you won't hear it from the NAB.
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Harvey_Dogg
Guest
Here's a list from the FCC that shows the TV stations using Channel 5 & 6. Many of them just recently bought new equipment to upgrade from NTSC to ATSC. Channel 5 & 6
Yet, they knew from the outset that their operations were secondary and they have to give way for primary services if such services are found in the public interest No different than LPFM stations and FM translators. Anyone who invests in a secondary service is accepting such risk. The primary stations would stay put.
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Harvey_Dogg
Guest
Perhaps LPFM's and the FM translators for AM's need to be reclassified as A1's and made primary services. Some of the AM's paid half a million dollars for those translators. The community groups who built LPFM's have spent tens of thousands. They shouldn't get kicked around.
If local groups aren't buying radio stations when are for sale, what makes you think they're going to build radio stations in a band nobody can hear?
These facilities are only full market stations in very small towns. They don't begin to cover the NORMALLY, de jure, protected high power and low dial position AMs. Often they are on frequencies duplicated in the market or very nearby, such as border areas of Canada. All I'll say is that border zones are already creating problems with these. Often these border stations in Canada make it clear in filings that despite regulatory authority, they fully intend to try to program to the US.
All translators along with LPFM stations, are considered 'secondary service'. Any station, let alone LPFM should know and understand it before they build the CP. Although, there are many example of 'willful ignorance' from translator and LPFM management that ignored the possibility that they may need to accept interference or get booted because of a full class station.
The Local Community Radio Act won't allow that.
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Harvey_Dogg
Guest
It would take a new act of Congress. Guess they have more important issues right now.
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Harvey_Dogg
Guest
Every NCE filing window has brought us many many new religious FM's. They have packed the NCE portion of FM even in the smallest towns. Most of them are national.
Those of us who enjoy helping others start new stations are becoming obsolete as the band is packed full.
That's all a lot of smaller towns have. The only station in town is "all praise Jesus and Donald Trump".
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Harvey_Dogg
Guest
Agreed. But there are receivers for LPTV and with cord cutting on the rise the FCC will want to collect fees from new and existing LPTV stations.
Exactly. Just as it was with LPFM, when these stations ultimately fail, the religious groups pick them up for pennies on the dollar. When that occurs, the Commission isn't going to object to such an ownership transfer.
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