Entercom suing FCC over KMCQ?

As possibly the biggest thing going on in local radio right now, I'm really surprised nobody has mentioned this, and the trades have been relatively quiet. Radio Insight is the only one I read, but I have a friend who reads a few others including Tom Taylor, who recently apparently highlighted a fight brewing between Entercom and KMCQ. This has to do with the 103.3 in downtown Seattle that relays KHTP. According to my friend who is getting this information from Tom Taylor, some listeners have complained to KMCQ about interfeerance caused by the translator. Apparently, the FCC has ordered the translator off, but Entercom is taking the FCC to court over it. That just doesn't make sense, as I do not hold a broadcast license, and even I know that translators are secondary services, and I've complained many times on this board about how useless I think that translator is.

Seriously, does anyone listen to 103.3 K277AE anymore? It serves very, very little purpose repeating KHTP. Now if it repeated an HD2 or HD3, that would be much better.

That's what I've been saying for two years or more, especially now with no AAA in the market except on HD.

crainbebo said:

Seriously, does anyone listen to 103.3 K277AE anymore? It serves very, very little purpose repeating KHTP. Now if it repeated an HD2 or HD3, that would be much better.

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The HD2/3 possibilities are likely the reason Entercom is fighting to keep K277AE. Couldn't find the Tom Taylor article bobdavcav was referring to. But KMCQ has an interference fill-in box on their still very sparse web site. http://www.countryq1033.com/

That's a possibility, but IMO they should have done that four years ago when they flipped 103.7. If they were serious about keeping the mountain brand alive, they should have downgraded it to the two translators and then heavily promoted them and the app. Instead, they flipped 103.7 with no warning and have done nothing to promote the HD signals. Getting a little off topic, I really don't understand why companies still don't promote adequitly. For instance, when KUBE moved to 104.9, it was done completely without warning, and there was absolutely 0 promotion on 93.3 of KUBE's new frequency. If I were Entercom, I would have flipped 103.7, broken the simulcast, and over the next week or so, run promos redirecting listeners to the app, the HD2, or 103.3/104.1.

MarioMania said:

So why is there a translator for KHTP even know 103.7 can be heard in Seattle, That doesn't make sence

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Drive through downtown Seattle with 103.7 on your radio and you'll see why it makes "sence" (sic).

Bongwater said:

The HD2/3 possibilities are likely the reason Entercom is fighting to keep K277AE. Couldn't find the Tom Taylor article bobdavcav was referring to. But KMCQ has an interference fill-in box on their still very sparse web site. http://www.countryq1033.com/

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If they are fighting to put their HD2/3 on the translator, they better start broadcasting on their HD2/3. They have been off the air for over a month.

Drive through downtown Seattle with a radio turned to 88.5, 92.5, 93.3, 94.1, 95.7, 96.5, 97.3, 98.1, 98.9, 99.9, 100.7, 101.5...you get the point. You'll get a clearer signal from 96.1/96.9 Olympia than any Seattle signal, especially at the Waterfront. In fact, I was in a Pike Place Market shop years ago that was playing 96.9 KGY-FM (back in the Real Country days) on their boombox, much stronger than KMPS that's for sure.

So, maybe someone can tell me why an Oak Harbor station can legally complain about a translator in Seattle? Does the FCC care about stations complaining about interference outside their market? I mean, from what I understand about KMCQ 103.3, their market is apparently Oak Harbor, Anacortes, Mt. Vernon and the San Juans. Wouldn't that make them a fringe station?

For what it's worth, I hear KHTP's translator on 103.3 south of Seattle.

boombox4 said:

So, maybe someone can tell me why an Oak Harbor station can legally complain about a translator in Seattle? Does the FCC care about stations complaining about interference outside their market? I mean, from what I understand about KMCQ 103.3, their market is apparently Oak Harbor, Anacortes, Mt. Vernon and the San Juans. Wouldn't that make them a fringe station?

For what it's worth, I hear KHTP's translator on 103.3 south of Seattle.

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KMCQ is also heard in Marysville, Arlington and Everett.

Translators don't have the same protections as higher class FM stations. I'm not sure what the outcome of this will be if Entercom is challenging the FCC on the matter. They may have to eat the loss. Or somehow find a new frequency on a maxed out FM band.

Or if they win, the FCC will have to make changes that will undoubtedly start a domino effect across the industry, something they will surely regret once the avalanche of cases from similarly affected translators elsewhere starts being dumped en masse on their desks (think EMF/CSN - yeah, THAT bad.) It may open a Pandora's box that even Entercom themselves may regret in other markets with translator interference problems on their stations. Or cause interference later down the road.

Be careful what you wish for....

yes.

Either Entercom has given up the fight or the FCC has ordered 103.3 off. KMCQ was off briefly this afternoon, and I didn't hear any other signals. Sometimes I can get the Shelton translator, but not today. The station I could usually get was the KHTP translator, but that appears to be off as 103.3 was blank until KMCQ came back on, not sure how long they were off.

Over here in Kitsap County, it's now a mess between K277AE and KMCQ depending on where you're at. Sometimes both stations at the same time.

They're actually still on? Interesting. I didn't hear them yesterday, and I used to hear them regularly before KMCQ signed on. Now, I can only hear them if my antenna is in the right place.