|
FCC Releases
Text of Notice of Proposed Rule Making on Revitalization of the
AM Radio Service
At the 2012
NAB Radio Show in Dallas, Texas, Commissioner Ajit Pai used the
occasion of his speech to propose that the Commission should launch
an AM Radio Revitalization Initiative and conduct a comprehensive
review of all the AM radio rules. At the 2013 NAB Radio show in
Orlando, Florida, FCC Acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn made a welcome
follow-on announcement to radio broadcasters during her speech:
“And I am happy to confirm that this morning I circulated a
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which will represent the next major
step in the Commission’s review of AM service, building on
the work we have been doing over the last few years.”
The text of
that NPRM was released on Thursday October 31. Commissioner Ajit
Pai’s enthusiasm was clear in his statement attached to the
item, ending with: "And now, the fun begins. Let’s
get to work revitalizing AM radio."
Below is a summary of items that are included in the NPRM.
Exclusive
FM Translator Filing Window
The FCC tentatively
concluded that it should afford an exclusive opportunity, for AM
licensees and permittees, to apply for authorizations for new FM
translator stations for the sole purpose of enhancing existing AM
service to the public. They proposed to open a one-time filing window
during which only AM broadcasters may participate, and in which
each may apply for one new FM translator station, to be used to
re-broadcast the broadcaster’s AM signal to provide fill-in
and/or nighttime service. The window would have the following conditions:
- Eligible
applicants must be AM broadcast licensees or permittees, and may
apply for only one FM translator per AM station.
- The translator
must be located so that no part of its 60 dBµ contour will
extend beyond the smaller of a 25-mile radius from the AM station’s
transmitter site, or the AM station’s daytime 2 mV/m contour.
- The FM translator
station may only be authorized to the AM primary station it rebroadcasts,
rather than an independent party; the FM translator may only be
used to rebroadcast the signal of the AM station to which it is
linked (or originate nighttime programming during periods when
a daytime-only AM station is not operating); and the authorization
for such an FM translator station will only be issued subject
to the condition that it may not be assigned or transferred except
in conjunction with the primary AM station that it re-broadcasts
and with which it is commonly owned.
Modification
of Daytime Community Coverage Standards For Existing AM Stations
Currently, a commercial radio station must provide daytime coverage
to its entire community of license, although this rule is routinely
waived by the FCC, so long as an appropriate showing is submitted
that it will encompass 80 percent of the community of license’s
area or population within the station’s 5 mV/m contour. The
FCC proposed modifying the daytime community coverage requirement,
for licensed AM facilities only, to require that the station cover
either 50 percent of the population or 50 percent of the area of
the community of license with a daytime 5 mV/m principal community
signal.
Modification of Nighttime Community Coverage Standards For Existing
AM Stations
The current nighttime coverage rules require that (non-Class D)
AM broadcasters maintain a signal at night sufficient to cause 80
percent of the area or population of the broadcaster’s principal
community to be encompassed by the nighttime 5 mV/m contour or the
nighttime interference-free contour, whichever value is higher.
The FCC proposed in the NPRM that the nighttime coverage requirement
be eliminated for existing licensed AM stations, and be modified
to require that new AM stations and AM stations seeking a change
to their communities of license cover either 50 percent of the population
or 50 percent of the area of the community of license with a nighttime
5 mV/m signal or a nighttime interference-free contour, whichever
value is higher.
Elimination of the AM “Ratchet Rule”
The so-called “ratchet rule” requires that an AM broadcaster
seeking to make facility changes, which would modify its AM signal,
demonstrate that the improvements will result in an overall reduction
in the amount of skywave interference that it causes to certain
other AM stations. Responding to petitions that the ratchet rule
has more disadvantages than advantages and has in some cases discouraged
stations from service improvements, the FCC proposed to delete the
ratchet rule by deleting note 1 to Section 73.182(q) of the Rules.
Wider Implementation of Modulation Dependent Carrier Level
Control Technologies
In September 2011, the FCC released a Public Notice stating that
it would permit AM stations, by rule waiver or experimental authorization,
to use transmitter control techniques that vary either the carrier
power level or both the carrier and sideband power levels as a function
of the modulation level. Known as Modulation Dependent Carrier Level
(“MDCL”) control technologies, this allows AM licensees
to reduce power consumption while maintaining audio quality and
coverage areas. In the NPRM, the FCC proposed that an AM station
may commence operation using MDCL control technology without prior
Commission authority, provided that the AM station licensee notifies
the Commission of the station’s MDCL control operation within
10 days after commencement.
Modification of AM Antenna Efficiency Standards
Under the current FCC rules, “all applicants for new, additional,
or different AM station facilities and all licensees requesting
authority to change the transmitting system site of an existing
station must specify an antenna system, the efficiency of which
complies with the requirements for the class and power of station.”
In the NPRM, the FCC seeks comment on a proposal to reduce the minimum
field strength values set forth in Sections 73.182(m) and 73.189(b)(2)(i)
– (iii) of the Rules by approximately 25 percent, offering
AM broadcasters some relief by enabling them to propose shorter
antennas.
The NPRM also recognizes, but does not make proposals with regard
to other ideas that have been proposed for revitalizing AM radio
such as changes to nighttime skywave protection for Class A AM stations,
adopting rules to permit the permanent licensing of AM synchronous
transmission systems, permitting or requiring stations to convert
to all-digital AM operation, and modification of the pre-sunrise
/ post-sunset AM operating rules. Stating that these reforms would
require additional comment, research, and analysis, the FCC is encouraging
parties to submit comments for the purpose of advancing these and
any other specific proposals that would help revitalize and improve
the long term future of the AM broadcast service.
The NPRM on
AM revitalization can be downloaded here.
Comments will be due 60 days after the NPRM is published in the
Federal Register.
|
