AM radio station owners think the FCC isn’t...
AM radio station owners think the FCC isn’t protecting their band from extinction, the Minority Media and Telecommunications Council told commission staff and Commissioner Ajit Pai in a series of meetings last week, according to ex parte letter filed Friday…
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(http://bit.ly/17RWMEe). “Many AM radio [station] owners wonder why they should continue to invest in this FCC regulated business if the Commission will not take measures to protect its viability,” said MMTC President David Honig in the letter. He said suggestions at the meeting to save AM included a proposal to migrate AM radio to TV Channels 5 and 6, which Honig said is similar to actions taken in Japan and Mexico. Almost all of the current analog AM coverage could be replicated by digital operation on Channels 5 and 6, with many AM stations obtaining improved nighttime service, Honig said. He said other proposals at the meetings included relaxing rules governing applications for FM translators and easing community of license coverage requirements for AM stations. Honig said two-thirds of all minority radio station owners own AM stations.