When stations are transferred, there are all sorts of forms involved, some financial, some regulatory. One that gets overlooked from time to time is the FCC Form 854 – to report an ownership change for a tower. When a station is transferred, the contract agreement may well include the real property and the […]

In the last few years a new type of FM Pirate has emerged. Many stations licensed as (CH-6) Low Power TV’s have morphed into faux FM broadcast stations. Even more recently some “Legal Analysts” have suggested that these stations seem to be working within the FCC’s Rules. I suggest that these “Legal Analysts,” […]

The FCC usually provides opportunities to file for new FM stations by opening “windows” for applications from time to time. During the windows, applications for commercial allocations lead to auctions, while NCE-FM applications are evaluated under a point system to award Construction Permits. At present, there are no upcoming filing windows for new […]

On January 29, 2010, the FCC issued an Order permitting an increase in FM digital power. The Media Bureau action means most FM stations can increase their digital carriers by 6 dB (fourfold) immediately, and can apply for up to 10 dB of increase, to 10% of the analog carrier power. Notification will […]