The FCC should take a comprehensive view of the...
The FCC should take a comprehensive view of the communications industry and focus on the issues confronting both the broadcast and the broadband sectors, said FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai. Broadcast and broadband are supplements and not substitutes, he said last…
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week at the NAB Radio Show (http://bit.ly/16lzUHv). He said he has a “special concern” for AM radio: “The number of AM stations is declining, and every day it seems harder to receive a quality AM signal.” He urged broadcasters, engineers and others to submit comments in the forthcoming NPRM on AM revitalization. “One simple but important concept would be to make it easier for broadcasters to improve their signals and find suitable antenna sites,” he said. The NPRM began circulating last week (CD Sept 20 p11). However, “there isn’t a consensus on the steps we need to take for the AM band to be alive and well 10 or 15 years from now,” he said. Pai urged a balanced approach “that will allow both larger stations and smaller stations to thrive.” The commission should allow for tests of synchronous transmission systems and it should be open to tests involving changes to nighttime power levels, he said. Most minority-owned radio stations are in the AM band, he said. Many AM radio stations cover local news and “many AM radio stations provide a vital forum for discussing the issues of the day,” he said. “These reasons, among others, are why I believe that the future of AM radio is worth fighting for."