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High School losing station to Christian Broadcasters...

> You're right.
>
> It's still a terrible rule though, because it defies common
> sense. If a Class D applies to increase it's power, no one
> besides the FCC would consider that an "open allotment".
>
> I can't really blame the Christian group that got the
> frequency though. They saw an open frequency and took legal
> steps to obtain it. It's the FCC policy that needs to
> change. Class D's upgrading to class A's should be given
> that opportunity.
>

This all goes back to an idiotic ruling/decision by the FCC in the late 1970s requiring Class D non-comms to increase their power to Class A status (100 watts) or more. If they didn't in a limited period, they would get shifted to the comm band (with no protection) or be otherwise limited in their non-comm allotment. That's what we see here.

I still can't think that the "better use of the public airwaves" (the standard elucidated by the HS station faculty advisor) can be determined by the Commission ex parte. I'd demand a due process hearing.
 
> > Is the school in a location where all other available
> > frequencies are taken?
>
> I'm not sure. I actually have worked at one class D, KGSP
> 90.3 in Parkville, MO, and it was bumped from 92.3 by a
> religious broadcaster a little over 10 years ago. Something
> similar happened with KGSP. It was on 90.3 and was moving
> to 92.3. It hoped to get a full signal licensed to
> Parkville, but a religious broadcaster got that frequency
> allotted to Olathe, KS. KGSP ended up either returning to
> or never leaving 90.3 because KKFI 90.1 agreed to let it
> stay next door. An agreement like this might be
> permissible.
>

Unfortunately, all available frequencies are taken, unless the school could convince the FCC to allow usage of 102.9FM, although it would be second-adjscent to Class Bs 102.5 WCRB and 103.3 WODS.

All of the Greater Boston non-comms are pretty much stuck-up and wealthy NPR outlets (90.9 WBUR, 89.7 WGBH, 91.9 WUMB) that took advantage of many high-school stations ceasing operations in the 80's to boost their signals and shut-out the little guys. In fact, the WAVM 91.7 Class A application, if utilized, would have been a share-time operation with 91.9 WUMB, UMass Boston's folk-radio outlet.

Do note, however, that the Boston dial is filled up because of a horrible frequency arrangement and the presence of adjscent markets, and not because we have a lot of signals (as we don't).
 
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