FCC Seeks To End Simulcasts

[TheBigA]

The FCC is looking to bring back the Duplication Rule, which had been repealed in 2020.

FCC Considers Bringing Back Radio Duplication Rule For FMs.

The FCC has been focused on radio in a series of moves, and the latest targets one of the media modernization steps taken under the previous administration. FCC Chair Jessica

www.insideradio.com

The repeal of this rule allowed stations to simulcast AM programming on FM, leading Audacy to simulcast its all-news AMs on FM signals in NY and LA. Most recently Cumulus has simulcast its talk station WBAP on FM.

The music industry supports the return of the Duplication Rule, noting the simulcasts have replaced music stations in several markets.

My view is that if this is approved, radio stations will either shut down or sell their AM stations. It will not lead to more local programming on AM, because there's no audience for it there.

 

[NoWayNoCC]

I thought the duplication rule was eliminated in the '80s.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

This just seems like a weird issue for the FCC to take up at this point in time.

 

[TheBigA]

This just seems like a weird issue for the FCC to take up at this point in time.

They seem intent on reversing decisions made during the previous administration now that they have the full 5 commissioners.

I thought the duplication rule was eliminated in the '80s.

Something was done previously that made it possible for stations like KCBS, WBBM, WFAN, and WSB to simulcast prior to 2020.

 

[Mark Roberts]

The FCC is looking to bring back the Duplication Rule, which had been repealed in 2020.

FCC Considers Bringing Back Radio Duplication Rule For FMs.

The FCC has been focused on radio in a series of moves, and the latest targets one of the media modernization steps taken under the previous administration. FCC Chair Jessica

www.insideradio.com

The repeal of this rule allowed stations to simulcast AM programming on FM, leading Audacy to simulcast its all-news AMs on FM signals in NY and LA. Most recently Cumulus has simulcast its talk station WBAP on FM.

I'm genuinely confused here. CBS instituted simulcasts of WBBM and KCBS on FM well before this rule was repealed (2008 in the case of KCBS; and Cumulus' KNBR began simulcasting on FM in 2019). How were the Chicago and San Francisco situations different from the New York, Los Angeles, and Dallas-Fort Worth situations?

The music industry supports the return of the Duplication Rule, noting the simulcasts have replaced music stations in several markets.

My view is that if this is approved, radio stations will either shut down or sell their AM stations. It will not lead to more local programming on AM, because there's no audience for it there.

Reading between the lines, this seems to me more like something arising from a concern over diversity of ownership, something that the FCC has failed to address effectively over decades, with economic factors now making it even more difficult to address.

 

[TheBigA]

I'm genuinely confused here. CBS instituted simulcasts of WBBM and KCBS on FM well before this rule was repealed

Correct, and I noted that in post #4. They may have applied for a waiver in order to do that.

Reading between the lines, this seems to me more like something arising from a concern over diversity of ownership, something that the FCC has failed to address effectively over decades, with economic factors now making it even more difficult to address.

I agree. They think they can regulate diversity without addressing the real cause, which is the lack of funding.

It certainly isn't going to help the cause of AM revitalization, which is going nowhere without the support of FM.

 

[lanceventa]

You're all interpreting this rule wrong... It HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AM/FM simulcasts.

It has to do with two stations on the same band duplicating programming. So a KNX/KNX-FM or WINS/WINS-FM simulcast would not be affected, but if say Audacy was simulcasting WINS-FM on WCBS-FM or WNEW.

From the 2020 order repealing it:

"The current radio duplication rule prohibits any commercial AM or FM radio station from devoting “more than 25 percent 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 percent of the total principal community contour service area of either station.”

Also the reason it is being looked to be repealed is because FM was not even added to the proposed plan until the day before it was adopted with multiple organizations threatening legal action as there was no comment period, which failed to comply with federal law.

 

[kevtronics]

So would AM stations no longer be allowed to simulcast other co-owned AM stations? Like WJIB and WJTO did, or WCMC and WMID in NJ.

 

[TheBigA]

It has to do with two stations on the same band duplicating programming. So a KNX/KNX-FM or WINS/WINS-FM simulcast would not be affected, but if say Audacy was simulcasting WINS-FM on WCBS-FM or WNEW.

Aha! I get it now. So if EMF has two fringe FMs in the same market (as they will have in Denver), they can't duplicate K-Love if there is a certain amount of signal overlap. I know if a few other companies that do triple-casts in order to cover certain markets.

I was confusing this with the AM/FM duplication rule, instituted a few years later.

 

[lanceventa]

Aha! I get it now. So if EMF has two fringe FMs in the same market (as they will have in Denver), they can't duplicate K-Love if there is a certain amount of signal overlap.

Correct in theory, but EMF isn't adding anything in Denver. That was Pillar of Fire that purchased KFCO/KJHM.

EMF is currently operating K-Love on 94.1 WMLE and 94.9 WKVF in Memphis. That is one that would require a waiver to continue. Same with Air 1 on 93.9 WJAI and 100.9 WJXN-FM in Jackson, MS.

 

[davideduardo]

Correct in theory, but EMF isn't adding anything in Denver. That was Pillar of Fire that purchased KFCO/KJHM.

EMF is currently operating K-Love on 94.1 WMLE and 94.9 WKVF in Memphis. That is one that would require a waiver to continue. Same with Air 1 on 93.9 WJAI and 100.9 WJXN-FM in Jackson, MS.

Do you recall when the 1966/67 AM and same market FM non-duplication rule was changed to allow duplication in all cases?

 

[lanceventa]

Do you recall when the 1966/67 AM and same market FM non-duplication rule was changed to allow duplication in all cases?

It was repealed in 1986

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-86-132A1.pdf

 

[davideduardo]

Correct in theory, but EMF isn't adding anything in Denver. That was Pillar of Fire that purchased KFCO/KJHM.

EMF is currently operating K-Love on 94.1 WMLE and 94.9 WKVF in Memphis. That is one that would require a waiver to continue. Same with Air 1 on 93.9 WJAI and 100.9 WJXN-FM in Jackson, MS.

If there is a rule at all, there should be a signal overlap rule, not a "market" rule.

It's obvious that the idea of a new rule got pretty high up the FCC food chain. And that says to me that the folks there don't understand the realities of radio. In particular, they don't get the fact that few people with any radio experience want to own a station today; prohibiting simulcasts would mean that stations will be abandoned, turned silent or brokered out. The concept makes things worse.

 

[Bongwater]

I thought the duplication rule was eliminated in the '80s.

So did I. In 1980s Seattle, we had AM/FM simulcasts all over the place KLSY AM/FM, KMPS AM/FM, KBSG AM/FM, KRPM AM/FM, etc

 

[lanceventa]

If there is a rule at all, there should be a signal overlap rule, not a "market" rule.

That's what it is.

As I quoted before, this is the rule that was repealed in 2020:

"The current radio duplication rule prohibits any commercial AM or FM radio station from devoting “more than 25 percent 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 percent of the total principal community contour service area of either station.”

 

[Bongwater]

If there is a rule at all, there should be a signal overlap rule, not a "market" rule.

It's obvious that the idea of a new rule got pretty high up the FCC food chain. And that says to me that the folks there don't understand the realities of radio. In particular, they don't get the fact that few people with any radio experience want to own a station today; prohibiting simulcasts would mean that stations will be abandoned, turned silent or brokered out. The concept makes things worse.

As far as simulcasting is concerned, how different would that be from the FM translators for AM stations? It's technically the same thing. And I thought the idea behind that was "revitalize AM radio". Not "drive the last AM listeners to FM"

 

[Mark Roberts]

You're all interpreting this rule wrong... It HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH AM/FM simulcasts.

It has to do with two stations on the same band duplicating programming. So a KNX/KNX-FM or WINS/WINS-FM simulcast would not be affected, but if say Audacy was simulcasting WINS-FM on WCBS-FM or WNEW.

Thanks for the clarification!

 

[semoochie]

I sense that some people are still not getting this. AM is one service and FM is another. The rule refers to simulcasting within the same service, AM simulcasting another AM or FM, another FM.

I don't think any of this affects K-Love.

 

[lanceventa]

I sense that some people are still not getting this. AM is one service and FM is another. The rule refers to simulcasting within the same service, AM simulcasting another AM or FM, another FM.

I don't think any of this affects K-Love.

I gave two specific examples of where it would affect K-Love above. In looking through markets where it would affect stations these are some of the only ones that would be affected.

EMF is currently operating K-Love on 94.1 WMLE and 94.9 WKVF in Memphis. That is one that would require a waiver to continue. Same with Air 1 on 93.9 WJAI and 100.9 WJXN-FM in Jackson, MS.

 

[secondchoice]

Would overlapping FM translators have to get a waiver?