[grc] Fwd: Release: Prometheus Petitions FCC to Protect LPFMs from Big-AM-Station Translators

[Max]

I see that we have a translator applicant that is on our immediate adjacent
Channel!

My station, WRWK-LP 93.9 now faces a translator application THE NEXT
adjacent over at 94.1!

EVEN STRANGER, THE A.M. RADIO STATION APPLYING FOR IT IS SILENT!

WONA AM is off the air and listed as "silent" ... So ... What signal is
that tanslator going to "translate"?

What do y'all think we can do?

Sincerely, Max


On Apr 18, 2017 3:55 AM, "Frieda Werden via grc" <grc at maillist.peak.org>
wrote:

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Prometheus Radio Project <info at prometheusradio.org>
Date: Mon, Apr 17, 2017 at 4:44 PM
Subject: Release: Prometheus Petitions FCC to Protect LPFMs from
Big-AM-Station Translators
To: Women's International News Gathering Service <wings at wings.org>


[image: Prometheus Radio Project]

Prometheus Radio Project
P.O. Box 42158
Philadelphia, PA 19101
215.727.9620

*For Immediate Release*
April 17, 2017

PHILADELPHIA-- The Prometheus Radio Project is challenging an FCC handout
to the biggest AM stations because it will harm low-power FM (LPFM)
stations without affording them protections guaranteed under the Local
Community Radio Act (LCRA). Last week, Prometheus filed a petition with the
FCC seeking reconsideration of new rules released in January that allow the
largest commercial AM stations to place more FM translators near LPFM
stations.

The January FCC ruling, a part of their AM Revitalization effort, allows AM
stations to locate translators -- small radio stations which repeat the AM
station on the FM band -- within either 25 miles of their station, or
within their daily broadcast area (2 mV/m contour), whichever is larger.
Formerly, AM stations were limited to staying within the smaller of those
areas, a restriction that smaller AM stations contested. Prometheus did not
file opposition to that part of the FCC ruling.

Initially, the FCC proposed that translators must keep their broadcast to
within 40 miles of the AM station, which was consistent with helping
smaller AM stations. However, the January ruling removed this 40-mile
limit, allowing the largest commercial AM stations to place FM translators
far away from their core service area. At least 1,644 large AM stations
stand to benefit from removal of the limit, subjecting most of the land
area of the US to extra demand for translators, which compete with LPFMs
for space on the FM dial and can box them in.

Radio stations in general, and LPFMs more than most, need to periodically
relocate for financial and practical reasons, and are allowed to move
within 3.5 miles of their location, or within a circle 7 miles in diameter.
FCC rules allow a translator to move closer to an LPFM than an LPFM can
move toward the translator, and prevent the LPFM from thereafter moving any
closer to the translator. It is as if the translator draws a line in the
sand which the LPFM cannot cross. When an LPFM is located between two
nearby translators in different directions, or “short spaced,” the LPFM is
boxed in between two lines it cannot cross, which can remove the vast
majority of its relocation area. As a result, LPFMs may be forced to move
away from their audiences when they inevitably relocate, or may be unable
to move and lose their transmission site.

Section 5(3) of the Local Community Radio Act (LCRA) says that LPFM
stations and FM translators are to "remain equal in status” and the
Commission enacted rules to protect this equality prior to the 2013 LPFM
application period. The “boxing-in” problem is one of several LCRA equality
issues that the FCC must address especially with increasing demand for, and
possible increased supply of FM translators.
Figure - 1: Land Area Affected by FCC 40-Mile Limit Removal

The pink and red areas below show where one or more translators could be
placed by AM stations, due to the FCC's recent removal of the 40-mile limit
described above. Each pink/red area is the daytime (2mV/m) contour of an AM
station minus the portion less than 40 miles from the respective AM
station. Darker pink/red indicates more AM stations could place translators
there.

A live map
<http://forms.prometheusradio.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/
extern/url.php?u=10809&qid=1016180>
is also available, but beware it is a very large map and may cause trouble
in some browsers.
Figure - 2: How an LPFM gets “Boxed In”

LPFM radio station KBLT-LP below is shown with the push pin, and the two
red-shaded areas are where it is now prohibited from moving because of the
two recent translators for AM stations named in the figure. The clear
circle is where KBLT-LP could normally relocate.
References

   - (PDF) Prometheus Petition to FCC
   <http:///sites/default/files/17-04-10-Prometheus-Petition-
for-Reconsideration-of-AMR-Order-AS-FILED.pdf>
   - FCCs AM Revitalizion page
   <http://forms.prometheusradio.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/
extern/url.php?u=10810&qid=1016180>
   - The Local Community Radio Act
   <http://forms.prometheusradio.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/
extern/url.php?u=10811&qid=1016180>
   - FCC general information about translators
   <http://forms.prometheusradio.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/
extern/url.php?u=10812&qid=1016180>
   - FCC Low-Power FM (LPFM) page
   <http://forms.prometheusradio.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/
extern/url.php?u=10813&qid=1016180>
   - A History of Encroachment upon LPFMs
   <http://forms.prometheusradio.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/
extern/url.php?u=10814&qid=1016180>

Press Contact

Please email info (at) prometheusradio.org


Unsubscribe |
<http://forms.prometheusradio.org/civicrm/mailing/
unsubscribe?reset=1&jid=2171&qid=1016180&h=6f37b310e6a44278>Subscribe
| <http://forms.prometheusradio.org/civicrm/mailing/subscribe?reset=1> Opt
out
<http://forms.prometheusradio.org/civicrm/mailing/optout?
reset=1&jid=2171&qid=1016180&h=6f37b310e6a44278>
Prometheus Radio Project
PO Box 42158
Philadelphia, PA 19101
United States
--
Frieda Werden, Series Producer
WINGS: Women's International News Gathering Service www.wings.org
_______________________________________________
grc mailing list
grc at maillist.peak.org
http://maillist.peak.org/mailman/listinfo/grc