In comments to the FCC, REC Networks partially agreed with the NAB concept of allowing AM stations to be able to operate FM translators as fill-in services.
Specifically, REC's support is limited to those AM broadcast stations that are not co-owned by an FM station with overlapping coverage. REC recognizes that many of these types of AM stations are minority owned and are facing increasing interference from Cuba as well as eventual interference from nighttime IBOC operations.
AM stations co-owned with FM stations should carry the AM signal on an HD Radio stream.
REC further stated that any AM translator should be secondary to a new or modified LPFM station's application. An LPFM station should be permitted to bump an AM translator if a showing is made that no other channel is available.
REC also proposed additional restrctions that would make AM translators (and LPFM stations) primary to distant translators and those translators that are owned by anyone with 30 or more translators.
