This document was delcared obsolete on August 3, 2023.

This REC Advisory Letter is directed to prospective participants in the 2021 NCE Filing Window, potential 2022 LPFM Filing Window as well as existing NCE and LPFM licensees planning minor change applications in the reserved band (88.1~91.9 MHz, channels 201~220). 

In Thursday’s edition of the Federal Register, the Federal Communications Commission has announced that it has received approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on various rule changes involving information collection and/or changes to forms.

The Federal Communications Commission has voted 5-0 today to adopt a Report and Order in MB Docket 19-311 for all-digital AM broadcasting. 

In the circulation draft, released three weeks prior to today’s meeting, the order calls for the ability for AM stations to voluntarily switch to an all digital operation using the Xperi (Ibiquity) HD Radio MA3 standard of in-band on-channel (IBOC) broadcasting.

“Relevant Radio” is the brand name of a radio service operated by Immaculate Heart Radio (IHR).  Relevant Radio is a 24-hour Catholic programming service that provides a noncommercial programming source to affiliated stations across the country as well as through digital delivery.  IHR, operating as Relevant Radio, Inc. owns several dozen full-service AM and FM broadcast stations and has been commended in the past by REC for preserving the legacy call letters of the stations that they acquire, including the infamous KHJ, Los Angeles.  A couple of years ago, IHR had converted their stations from noncommercial educational to commercial and in their markets have been selling time.  This, while maintaining a noncommercial stream for affiliated stations not owned by IHR. 

In order to protect the integrity of the LPFM service by preventing commercial influence through speculation and “shadow ownership” (control of a station by an undisclosed third party), REC has filed Informal Objections against applications where it was supsected that speculative behavior was taking place. In other words, a single party filing for multiple facilities with the intention of either building a radio network or to sell the permits to other parties for a profit.