FCC Forces One Black Hills station to move and approves two new FMs

[Field_strength]

The FCC has approved two new FMs that will serve the Black Hills area.

The first one will be licensed to Wall, SD and will transmit 100,000 Watts from a tower east of New Underwood on 107.5.

The second station will be licensed to Newell, SD and will broadcast on 107.9 from Terry Peak with just 4800 watts.

Both CPs are owned by the same licensee, who fought hard with the FCC in order to get them approved. He sucessfully convinced the FCC that KSLT should be forced to move from 107.3 to 107.1 to accomidate the new stations.

The Newell station's CP runs out on February 14th, 2009, meaning he has under four months to construct the station on Terry Peak, where the snow is deep all winter and travel is often difficult.

It will be interesting to see what happends with these stations. Rapid City is over saturated with radio as it is, and here come two more.

 

[MN Maniac]

I wasn't aware the FCC could "force" an existing broadcaster to move frequencies in order to accomodate new stations. I thought the would-be new station had to negotiate with and provide compensation to the existing station (?)

The FCC has approved two new FMs that will serve the Black Hills area.

The first one will be licensed to Wall, SD and will transmit 100,000 Watts from a tower east of New Underwood on 107.5.

The second station will be licensed to Newell, SD and will broadcast on 107.9 from Terry Peak with just 4800 watts.

Both CPs are owned by the same licensee, who fought hard with the FCC in order to get them approved. He sucessfully convinced the FCC that KSLT should be forced to move from 107.3 to 107.1 to accomidate the new stations.

The Newell station's CP runs out on February 14th, 2009, meaning he has under four months to construct the station on Terry Peak, where the snow is deep all winter and travel is often difficult.

It will be interesting to see what happends with these stations. Rapid City is over saturated with radio as it is, and here come two more.

 

[jimbo]

I would have thought the same, that the new station makes a deal with the established station to move. But here's the action in the FCC web site: http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=10211

JER (owner of the Newell station) will reimburse KSLT for the move.

 

[radioguybroadcasting]

I wasn't aware the FCC could "force" an existing broadcaster to move frequencies in order to accomodate new stations. I thought the would-be new station had to negotiate with and provide compensation to the existing station (?)

They can force stations, it's called a petition for rulemaking ... asking the fcc to change the table of allotments.