FCC Seeks To End Simulcasts

[Theater of My Mind]

The fact is that this change will not 'assure that more music remains on the radio.' The way to do that is make better music.

"Better" music in whose opinion? Do you think if that hypothetically happened it would create additional music formats leading to the kind of diversity being discussed here? Or even an increase in the size of playlists in the current formats?

I think you know the answer to this. There's a ton of "better" music already out there that radio doesn't play, and even if it were doubled it still wouldn't diversity commercial radio.

The point here is about eliminating simulcasts where two FM signals in the same place should be carrying separate programming. Now, I don't even know if, or where, any such simulcasts are currently happening. Why would a station owner even choose to do such a thing? Once scenario I can think of would be to cut the cost of programming two separate formats but still retain control of both licenses rather than allow the unneeded one to go to another broadcaster. That would certainly not be in the public interest and this simulcast rule should prevent it from happening.

 

[TheBigA]

"Better" music in whose opinion? Do you think if that hypothetically happened it would create additional music formats leading to the kind of diversity being discussed here? Or even an increase in the size of playlists in the current formats?

That's always the question. Better music in the context of commercial radio airplay is the music that will attract a mass audience. It doesn't have to be technically better, or even in tune. It can be dogs barking jingle bells. If it attracts a mass audience, it's better than music that doesn't. The Coalition would love to find a way to require commercial radio stations to play non-commercial music and also make them pay more royalties. This won't do it.

The point here is about eliminating simulcasts where two FM signals in the same place should be carrying separate programming. Now, I don't even know if, or where, any such simulcasts are currently happening.

Typically it happens where a station signal isn't sufficient to cover an entire market. The examples I can think of are non-commercial, which are exempt from this rule.

 

[Kent]

Typically it happens where a station signal isn't sufficient to cover an entire market. The examples I can think of are non-commercial, which are exempt from this rule.

The article in InsideRadio that mentioned the reinstatement of part of the duplication rule indicated it was unaware if any station would be affected by the rule change.

About the only combination I could think of that might be affected is the Power 94.9/101.9 combination in Salt Lake City. I'm not certain it would be, but, from looking at the 70 dBu overlap, it looks like it's close.

I'm aware of a few stations that have done same service simulcasting to move a format from one signal to another. The FCC had, in the past, generally been receptive to 30 day STA's for those purposes. The main benefit in those situations was that they didn't have to apply for the STA anymore and, thus, didn't have to worry that the opinions of the Media Bureau and commissioners might affect their opportunity to do that.

The reality is that operators in general don't buy overlapping stations with the intention of simulcasting. They'd rather have a second revenue stream, especially if they paid all that money. From what I understood about the EMF situation in Memphis, which wouldn't likely be covered under the duplication rule anyway, it had planned to swap 94.1 for another property in another market but got stuck with it after a contingent deal failed to materialize.

 

[TheBigA]

About the only combination I could think of that might be affected is the Power 94.9/101.9 combination in Salt Lake City. I'm not certain it would be, but, from looking at the 70 dBu overlap, it looks like it's close.

Yep, it becomes more of a technical discussion than a programming one. The rule says there can't be more than a 25% signal overlap. As you say, if there's that much overlap, it makes more sense to do another format.

 

[txchipk]

Yep, it becomes more of a technical discussion than a programming one. The rule says there can't be more than a 25% signal overlap. As you say, if there's that much overlap, it makes more sense to do another format.

The rule is 50% signal overlap (of the 70 dBu city grade contours)... 25% is the amount of simulcast time.

The FCC order: https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-24-66A1.pdf

"The radio duplication rule prohibited any commercial AM or FM radio station from devoting “more than 25% of the total hours in its average broadcast week to programs that duplicate those of any other station in the same service (AM or FM) which is commonly owned or with which it has a time brokerage agreement if the principal community contours . . . of the stations overlap and the overlap constitutes more than 50% of the total principal community contour service area of either station.” In this Order on Reconsideration, we restore the radio duplication rule as applied to FM stations in order to better serve the public interest."

 

[TheBigA]

The rule is 50% signal overlap (of the 70 dBu city grade contours)...

That makes the point even better. I know of two recent FM simulcasts by Alpha: One in San Jose with KBAY and the other in Joliette with WCCQ. I doubt there is more than 50% overlap.

 

[txchipk]

That makes the point even better. I know of two recent FM simulcasts by Alpha: One in San Jose with KBAY and the other in Joliette with WCCQ. I doubt there is more than 50% overlap.

Yes, I don't think there will be a lot of impacts. On the FCC 60 dBU primary service contours on the FCC site and other places, simulcasts like KENZ/KHTB Salt Lake City or WEZX/WLGD Scranton/Wilkes-Barre have large >50% overlaps...but 70 dBU city grade contours are much smaller. Those cases still may be close.

Even if there is overlap, the FCC is allowing for owners to file for waivers. WEZX/WLGD could conceivably argue simulcast is needed to provide city grade contours to both cities in that market if they have too much overlap.

 

[fybush]

This feels to me like a political "solution" to a problem that doesn't exist.

If nobody can point to an example other than (maybe) Salt Lake City, what exactly is the issue being addressed here?

 

[davideduardo]

This feels to me like a political "solution" to a problem that doesn't exist.

If nobody can point to an example other than (maybe) Salt Lake City, what exactly is the issue being addressed here?

But a lot of operators with multiple signals in a market will be running their lawyers in Washington's meters checking to see if they are in compliance... starting with the multiple cases of several small or out of market simulcast signals in Spanish in LA.

 

[fybush]

But a lot of operators with multiple signals in a market will be running their lawyers in Washington's meters checking to see if they are in compliance... starting with the multiple cases of several small or out of market simulcast signals in Spanish in LA.

It's the 70 dBu contour that matters, so it really shouldn't be an overlap issue for any of those. And by definition it can't be an issue for the same-frequency simulcasts like 107.1 or 93.5.

 

[davideduardo]

It's the 70 dBu contour that matters, so it really shouldn't be an overlap issue for any of those. And by definition it can't be an issue for the same-frequency simulcasts like 107.1 or 93.5.

Still, how many managers understand "70 dBu" accurately? So a call is in to the attorney to ask, "does this affect us?". The attorney will then check with the consulting engineer, and both will send bills.

 

[Mark Roberts]

This feels to me like a political "solution" to a problem that doesn't exist.

If nobody can point to an example other than (maybe) Salt Lake City, what exactly is the issue being addressed here?

The issue is to demonstrate that "we're not like those other guys". Why they wait three years to demonstrate that is a whole other question, of course, but it's not surprising to see regulations deployed for purposes of demonstrating a political stance even if the practical effect is extremely limited.

 

[TheBigA]

Why they wait three years to demonstrate that is a whole other question,

It took 3 years to get the third deciding vote and get past the usual procedural nonsense.

 

[Kent]

That makes the point even better. I know of two recent FM simulcasts by Alpha: One in San Jose with KBAY and the other in Joliette with WCCQ. I doubt there is more than 50% overlap.

The WCCQ/WXLC simulcast has no overlap whatsoever in terms of 70 dBu coverage. The 60 dBu coverages would appear not to overlap at all either. If there's any 70 dBu overlap with KBAY and KKDV, it's minimal.

Even if there is overlap, the FCC is allowing for owners to file for waivers. WEZX/WLGD could conceivably argue simulcast is needed to provide city grade contours to both cities in that market if they have too much overlap.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has always been a tough market to cover on FM with a single stick. Even WMGS, WKRZ and WGGI have had simulcasts in the past. 'KRZ might even still have one. I understand the duplication rule used to prohibit the same programs airing within a 24 hour period. So, switching your morning and afternoon shows on two overlapping stations wouldn't be allowed. Having said that, I suspect, if the Power 94.9/101.9 simulcast were to become problematic for Cumulus, it could program the same format with different logs and, potentially, different imported talent and imaging. In the early days of duopoly, I can remember a handful of country stations providing their own competition, and I don't think the music and commercials were scrutinized so closely as to constitute duplication so long as the scheduling was unique.

 

[kevtronics]

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre has always been a tough market to cover on FM with a single stick. Even WMGS, WKRZ and WGGI have had simulcasts in the past. 'KRZ might even still have one.

98.5 WKRZ simulcasts on 107.9 WKRF in Tobyhanna, PA.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

This feels to me like a political "solution" to a problem that doesn't exist.

If nobody can point to an example other than (maybe) Salt Lake City, what exactly is the issue being addressed here?

Curious, who asked Ajit Pai to repeal the rule in the first place, and for what purpose? It doesn't seem like the sort of thing that the FCC would proactively take up unless nudged by someone who needed to get around it.

 

[TheBigA]

Curious, who asked Ajit Pai to repeal the rule in the first place, and for what purpose? It doesn't seem like the sort of thing that the FCC would proactively take up unless nudged by someone who needed to get around it.

Here's coverage from 2020:

FCC Scales Back Proposed Changes To Simulcast Rules To Just AM Stations.

Broadcasters may soon have more leeway to simulcast programming as the FCC decides whether to update the Radio Duplication Rule. FCC Chair Ajit Pai said he plans to bring the

www.insideradio.com

Pai had an ongoing plan to eliminate unnecessary or dated regulations. It looks like the NAB weighed in on this, but didn't have a specific reason or example

The National Association of Broadcasters had been pushing the FCC to do away with the Radio Duplication Rule completely, saying it is no longer necessary. “Radio companies have no incentive to further limit their appeal by simulcasting the same programming on multiple stations,” it told the FCC. The NAB also suggested that giving AM operators the ability to put the same programming on several AMs in a market could help the stations attract listeners and advertisers to the struggling AM band while also cutting costs for owners.

 

[Mark Roberts]

If there's any 70 dBu overlap with KBAY and KKDV, it's minimal.

The 1500-foot ridge that separates Berkeley, Oakland, etc. from the Diablo Valley (the DV in KKDV) pretty much ensures that there will be very little overlap between those stations.

When Clear Channel did the KSJO "trimulcast" in the late 1990s, including the station that's now KKDV, it had to give up grandfathered status for KSJO, which reduced its coverage in San Francisco. That didn't seem to matter at the time, since the station at 92.7 was a part of that simulcast as well. Then Clear Channel went in another direction and KSJO couldn't go back to its previous authorization.

 

[Kelly A]

I could be completely off base, but it seems like ever since Congress started up with the whole AM radio in cars thing, the junior politicians and lawyers at the Commission have suddenly started paying attention to little ol' radio.
It's sort of like that old joke: 'Jesus (Congress) is coming, everyone look busy!'

 

[secondchoice]

A small town operator has a class A FM that simulcasts on his AM. He has the chance to aquire a near by FM translator which he originally planned to be moved to his original tower which has both the class A FM and the class D AM on it. The town can't really can't support another station. The only reason to do the translator deal is to keep it from competing with him. Legally he will never say that. Does he have to split the AM from the FM if he buys the translator?