Does anyone think the FCC within the next 5 years will see the light and allow class C and D AM's to go silent, hand in their license, and permit their former FM translators to originate programs as licensed FM stations?
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FM translators able to originate programs
- Thread starter RadioGuy1864
- Start date
It will happen eventually, IMHO.
IMHO The FCC could offer (for a fee of course) to allow an AM station with a translator to turn in their AM license to make their existing FM translator an (A1) that would be a short spaced allocation that is protected from another FM station upgrading and wiping them out. They could technically force this but unlike the digitalization of analog TV there is limited spectrum unless they loosen up existing interference limitations on second and third adjacent channel spacing essentially in FM B areas. They could allow directional antennas that would protect existing market's but allow stations to serve another market on the same channel 100 miles away.
Currently, translators are not protected. A full A or B or C that wishes to upgrade, moves it’s site or changes frequency can silence any translator. For your idea to work, translators would have to be given a protected class, like “A1”, with protection. And even then, protection might only be given to the equivalent of, let’s say, 250 watts at 300 feet.
There are also issues of protected translators being able to prevent any move of higher category stations. So a station surrounded by translators might not be able to move if they lost a tower lease or if the current rooftop location became surrounded by taller buildings.
That's a great point that continues to be missed around here; translators are not full-class stations and are constantly at risk of being displaced or seeing increased interference from other translators, LPFM's, or certainly full-class stations. At least their AM stations are currently protected from interference or displacement.
Another thing in the discussion of translators for AM stations is that in many cases, an assigned translator doesn't replicate even the theoretical day coverage of the primary AM station, although one could argue that if listeners only listen to FM, what difference does the extra coverage make? Depending on the terrain and unique situation, geographically it could mean a lot.
Oh, and let's cram more FM signals onto the band creating more congestion. As we found out with AM, nobody benefits from that.
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To what end? An insolvent or disinterested AM station licensee could turn in their AM license tomorrow. There is zero motivation for the government to allow some sort of window for turning in a license. As mentioned in this thread; translators have little to no protections. Nobody, including the FCC benefits financially from such a move. Station owners/licensees are private individuals making their own business decisions, not the government.
Reclassifying the secondary services as A-1 would require an act of congress. They could give rulemaking authority back to the FCC on this matter or they could pass a new law themselves.
Giving AM stations permission to turn off transmitters that are nothing but a waste of power is not a bad idea. However this would create commercial LPFM.
Giving AM stations permission to turn off transmitters that are nothing but a waste of power is not a bad idea. However this would create commercial LPFM.
This next LPFM filing window will clog the FM band and any AM that missed the opportunity to get an FM translator will find they missed the boat and will be sunk.
Let's face it; FM translators for AM stations amounted to being given a set of Walmart water wings and then being left in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The benefit is more symbolic than life-changing.
But, it buys them more time to survive. I know radio broadcasting has lost it's appeal for younger people and it's listeners are getting older. The internet will continue to improve and become more robust.
However, in some small towns that have lousy internet service, FM radio is still doing fine.
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But there are a lot of broadcasters who still carry a lot of debt on AM stations with a listener base who are quite literally dying off. It's an unfortunate situation but in a free enterprise society, sometimes business people make bad decisions or ignore signs they should have paid attention to. They need to live by those decisions, not look to the government to provide accommodations for those bad decisions. In other words; is it up to the government to continue enabling the relatively small industry with zero growth potential to extend the inevitable while creating harm to the FM broadcasters who made the move years ago?
I KIND of agree, but kind of not.
I cant think of specific examples now, but i know ive heard of some that saved the station.. sure it means most are listneing to the FM translator but it kept things going and brought in moiney
The underlying issue is this: the FCC is under Congressional mandate to auction off any spectrum that's used for primary commercial service.
It's only because translators are secondary service that the FCC was able to expand their use to relay AM stations without opening competitive auctions for those frequencies.
If the FCC were to decide to create an "A1" service to make translators primary service that could originate programming, all of those frequencies would need to go up for auction, unless Congress were to change the underlying laws.
Which is why it's very unlikely anything will change any time soon.
It's only because translators are secondary service that the FCC was able to expand their use to relay AM stations without opening competitive auctions for those frequencies.
If the FCC were to decide to create an "A1" service to make translators primary service that could originate programming, all of those frequencies would need to go up for auction, unless Congress were to change the underlying laws.
Which is why it's very unlikely anything will change any time soon.
Actually, I think we both agree. Let's look at my analogy: Being handed a set of Walmart water wings is better than just being in the middle of an ocean without any form of floatation. But ultimately in your heart you know the chances of being rescued before being eaten by a shark, or overcome by rough seas, dehydration, or starvation is small. In both examples, it's just a matter of time.
And to add one more turd to the punchbowl; nobody, AM or FM is getting rich on just radio alone. The advertising climate and donations to public stations are down already with little sign of getting better soon. Even if AM stations were allowed to migrate, all it would do is dilute what hard-fought money is available to existing FM broadcasters. Eventually, the entire model as we know it could collapse.
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I liek the turd to the punchbowl analogy. .and i like that saying in and of itself lol
I don't think it will happen in 5 or even 10 years
I built new radio stations from scratch long ago. I would not advise anyone to do this today.
During the AM translator window I phoned the AM station in the town I grew up in. I could have got them a translator on 97.5 MHz. I would have helped them prepare the application for free. But they missed the boat. So now 97.5 will go to an LPFM.
Some people just can't get out of their own way.