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New FCC Ownership Rules

T

TheBigA

I thought this was an interesting quote:

However, the agency "seeks comment on the impact of the introduction of digital radio",

By that, do they mean HD Radio? Not exactly digital radio in my view. Do they mean internet radio? Are they proposing ownership caps on I Heart Radio?

I throw this out as a softabll to the board.
 
TheBigA said:
However, the agency "seeks comment on the impact of the introduction of digital radio"
Click to expand...

I can't speak for the Commission as to what they mean by the question, but when "HD-2" stations end up on a translator, some have argued that's a circumvention of the local ownership rule.

- Jonathan
 
As will probably surprise nobody on this board, the FCC's question is murky enough to be indecipherable. What precisely is the question? What is meant by "the impact of digital radio?" BigA poses the variables accurately. What the hell are they talking about?

"Impact" of what? On economics? On audiences? On established analog services? On IBOC interference to other stations?

As far as figuring HD-2/translator operations into ownership caps, don't hold your breath. I want you to be around for Christmas 2012! ;) :D
 
If they're thinking about using HD against a company's market limits, you'll see the few remaining HDs shut down immediately.

I don't think the FCC wants to see that.

Perhaps they'd like comments about coverting analog AM & FM to digital? Personally I think the impact of that would be about the same as converting to HD-2. Consumers don't want to buy new radios. Owners are not going to give up beachfront property for the potential of a digital future.
 
I can't see how you would have ownership caps on online radio since it can be accessed from anywhere. What they may be referring to is the loophole that allows FM HD subchannels to have their own analog translator. Perhaps these translators should instead boost the HD signal. There are many stations that would drop HD if they couldn't have analog translators for their HD subchannels, but the loophole doesn't seem right.
 
At this time, the best justification for HD-2 seems to be the ability to put it on an analog translator. Even though it is allowed, it is obviousy a loop-hole. Maybe someone with deeper pockets than mine will contest that. Otherwise, the FCC may need to adjust the translator rules to allow them to originate local programming. I wouldn't rule that out, since the FCC says they want to encurage "localism." This could establish a defacto commercial LPFM service at a power level that is actually usefull.

May you live in interesting times....
 
Another thought.... is that they prohibit a group that's already at their limit from operating a HD-2 translator as a separate station -- but allow them to lease the translator to someone else?
 
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