REC has filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission in response to the FCC's Fourth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the Low Power FM (LPFM) radio service.
In comments, REC:
- Supported the creation of a 50 watt service to replace the 10 watt LPFM service that the FCC has proposed to discontinue.
- Supported the creation of a 250 watt service in rural areas and once it has been determined that lower power stations are not needed, in urban areas.
- Supports Native Nations entry into broadcasting while assuring that additional opportunities do not preclude potential LPFM opportunities off tribal land.
- Supports the cross-ownership of FM Translators and LPFM stations with restrictions that will assure that LPFM stations remain local.
- Proposed a 10-point comparative review process that would reduce the instances of ties.
- Proposed scrapping the current processes of "partial settlements", "point aggregation" and "successive licensing" in favor of a new time sharing process that assures that competing applicants who can't completely settle would have a chance to get on the air without having to wait up to 7 years.
Reply comments are due to the FCC by May 21.
More details about our comments can be found below:
