New eligibility restrictions for upcoming FM translator window

The good folks over at Common Frequency herded the cats of community radio and, in a letter to the FCC, outlined several practical problems that should be addressed before the agency opens its proposed filing window for new reserved-band FM translators.

Inside Radio published a detailed story on the coalition’s list of problems with the upcoming window, focusing in particular on the real-world application of requirements set within the agency’s contour maps. The coalition pointed out that even when a station can scramble to meet agency requirements set on paper, that compliance does little to boost coverage where a community actually needs it. The story came out Wednesday.

Then on Thursday, the FCC released its new eligibility restrictions. The document did not concern itself with the coalition’s requests. Granted, the restrictions focused on limiting factors on how many channels a station could apply for. But, in a footnote, the agency also didn’t seem interested in accommodating the growing chorus of concerns with another proceeding, saying, in effect, that they didn’t have time for that.

More than 20 years have passed since stations could apply for a translator. Yet agency officials seem to be rushing to get this done this fall.

The community radio world is increasingly concerned that agency officials won’t take a few more months to get things right and accommodate the bulk of stations that intend to apply.

Communications Act of 1934, Sect. 326.

Nothing in this Act shall be understood or construed to give the Commission the power of censorship over the radio communications or signals transmitted by any radio station, and no regulation or condition shall be promulgated or fixed by the Commission which shall interfere with the right of free speech by means of radio communication.