T
The Beave
Guest
Three Tucson Non Profits are racing to complete LPFM license applications and studies in anticipation
of the passing of the 2009 Local Community Radio act, also known as H.R. 1147. The bill now goes to the floor of the house it is predicted it should easily. The Senate has a nearly identical set of legislation and should also pass rather easily there. The legislation lifts a ban on 3rd adjacent channel protection and licenses are only available to legitimate 501c3 Non profits that have existed 3 years or longer, and will have to follow the same rules other commercial stations without advertising content.
Until Now LPFM stations have been allocated to the lowest portions of the FM band, and will soon be able to locate new licenses in newly opened areas across the FM spectrum. The Bill's sponsors predict that "hundreds"
of new licenses will be issued.
From the Congressional Record: H.R. 1147
Official Summary
2/24/2009--Introduced.Local Community Radio Act of 2009 - Repeals provisions in the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 that required the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to:
(1) modify rules authorizing the operation of low-power FM radio stations to prescribe minimum distance separations for third-adjacent channels;
(2) prohibit applicants who have engaged in the unlicensed operation of any station from obtaining a low-power FM license;
and
(3) conduct a program to test whether low-power FM radio stations will result in harmful interference to existing FM radio stations if minimum distance separations for third-adjacent channels are not required.
Requires the FCC to modify its rules to eliminate third-adjacent minimum distance separation requirements between specified stations. Requires the FCC to retain rules that provide third-adjacent channel protection for full-power noncommercial FM stations that broadcast radio reading services via a subcarrier frequency from potential low-power FM station interference. Requires the FCC, when licensing FM translator stations, to ensure that:
(1) licenses are available to both FM translator stations and low-power FM stations; and
(2) such decisions are made based on the needs of the local community.
(end of summary)
of the passing of the 2009 Local Community Radio act, also known as H.R. 1147. The bill now goes to the floor of the house it is predicted it should easily. The Senate has a nearly identical set of legislation and should also pass rather easily there. The legislation lifts a ban on 3rd adjacent channel protection and licenses are only available to legitimate 501c3 Non profits that have existed 3 years or longer, and will have to follow the same rules other commercial stations without advertising content.
Until Now LPFM stations have been allocated to the lowest portions of the FM band, and will soon be able to locate new licenses in newly opened areas across the FM spectrum. The Bill's sponsors predict that "hundreds"
of new licenses will be issued.
From the Congressional Record: H.R. 1147
Official Summary
2/24/2009--Introduced.Local Community Radio Act of 2009 - Repeals provisions in the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 that required the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to:
(1) modify rules authorizing the operation of low-power FM radio stations to prescribe minimum distance separations for third-adjacent channels;
(2) prohibit applicants who have engaged in the unlicensed operation of any station from obtaining a low-power FM license;
and
(3) conduct a program to test whether low-power FM radio stations will result in harmful interference to existing FM radio stations if minimum distance separations for third-adjacent channels are not required.
Requires the FCC to modify its rules to eliminate third-adjacent minimum distance separation requirements between specified stations. Requires the FCC to retain rules that provide third-adjacent channel protection for full-power noncommercial FM stations that broadcast radio reading services via a subcarrier frequency from potential low-power FM station interference. Requires the FCC, when licensing FM translator stations, to ensure that:
(1) licenses are available to both FM translator stations and low-power FM stations; and
(2) such decisions are made based on the needs of the local community.
(end of summary)