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Here’s a question I’m sure will get a rise out of some folks in here. Why has there never been a Part 15 operator who’s applied for permission to use an FM translator? Here is the FCC’s definition of what it is and who can apply for one.
“As of June, 2009 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted changes in its FM translator rules to allow AM stations to use currently authorized FM translator stations to retransmit their AM service within their AM stations’ current coverage areas.
Specifically, AM broadcast stations will be allowed to use currently authorized FM translator stations (i.e. those now licensed or authorized in construction permits that have not expired) to rebroadcast their AM signals, provided that no portion of the 60 dBu contour of any such FM translator station extends beyond the smaller of: (a) a 25-mile radius from the AM transmitter site; or (b) the 2 mV/m daytime contour of the AM station.
In addition, AM broadcast licensees will be allowed to originate programming on such FM translators during periods when their AM station is not operating. The FCC has taken these steps to permit AM broadcasters to better serve their local communities and thus promote the Commission’s goals of localism, competition, and diversity in the broadcast media”. (End quote)
I can see some of you thinking, “Well, its clear from what is stated above that you have to be ‘licensed’ to even apply for a translator”. But my response to that would be, “Since we aren’t licensed per se, but our stations are still under the purview of the FCC should we violate its rules which “govern us”, it would seem to me anyway that there are grounds for an FM translator to be granted to a Part 15 operator. Someone (I’ll do it next week) should inquire about using an FM translator or a legal FM booster to better serve its local, Part 15 station listeners.
If it is stated to me by the FCC that it doesn’t allow unlicensed operators to apply for translators based on the lack of a license, it would smack of hypocrisy to the nth degree. Disallowing it and they probably will, while at the same time saying to us that we cannot exceed field strength parameters, ground lead this or that, to me, is mind numbingly unfair. Afterall, the stated goal is to “better serve” our local communities, right?
Total posts : 45366mpmiss your idea might just be something possible, given the availability of a translator channel physically located close enough to be considered within your station’s service area. Please do inquire about it and report on what you discover.
Total posts : 45366Most translators are privately owned and licensed to those owners which are not directly linked to or have any ownership interest or partnership in other broadcast ventures with the licensed station to which their translator is retransmitting.
Its not a matter of a person who owns a Part 15 station cannot apply for a translator license, it is a matter of a Part 15 owner to convince a translator owner to rebroadcast the Part 15 station while the translator generates revenue for it to maintain its operational costs.
Licensed stations pay a regular fee, usually a quarterly fee agreed upon between the licensed station and the translator owner/licensee. Those translators take electricity and occupy tower space and shack space and those things also may be owned by someone else, which in turn the translator owner would have additional fees to pay.
As to the legality of a licensed translator retransmitting a Part 15 station, I do not think there is any legal issue, unless other stations within the translator service area has any disputes and files against the translator station to prevent it from doing so.
Then again I am no attorney. But I think if negotiations were done right, and all parties involved are in agreement, there really should not be any reason for a translator to not carry a Part 15 station.
But I would not doubt that even if such an arrangement is granted, the Part 15 station, would in essence become a “bigger boy”…a teenager per say to the “big boys”. Meaning that the FCC would probably place some heavy restrictions and other filing and record keeping to the likes of a regular licensed station. And if I was a translator owner, I would require the Part 15 station to keep such records since their programs and transmission is going through my licensed translator, to which I would be fully responsible for in what content it is translating to the public.
RFB
Total posts : 45366it would get dinged under local origination rules. look up jukebox radio vs the fcc.
and also since part 15 is not a licensed station the translator owner will not be given authorization by the fcc to rebroadcast the station.
Total posts : 45366“it would get dinged under local origination rules.”
This is probably the main reason most of all. But in retrospect to the term “local origination”, about the only thing local these days with licensed stations is the fact they take up local space, both in real estate and spectrum estate.
One could possibly and successfully argue about “local origination” and present a ton of evidence that licensed stations these days are NOT providing local origination programs, but rather 24/7 satellite fed formats and automation computers. At best, any sort of local origination would be on average in a 24 hour period, about 15 minutes of fame and shame with local morning weather and perhaps a 4 hour morning show. After that…back to your regular scheduled corporate conglomerate one format fits all programming origination.
A Part 15 station could successfully prove that their programs carry more “weight” with local origination and serving the local public interest far more than the licensed counterpart, perhaps even get the local public support and opinion. Strength in numbers.
Point anyway is it will not be easy or may not be possible, but I would not say that it would be completely impossible.
RFB
Total posts : 45366jukebox happened in the early 2000’s the competition will remove stations from the air by any means and the big boys play dirty especially in a major market like nyc where this incident happened.
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