MMTC and NABOB Meet With Pai, Commissioners on C4 FM, Subcaps, Rural Radio
The FCC should create a new C4 FM class, take more action against pirate radio, and eliminate its rural radio policy, but shouldn’t get rid of AM/FM subcaps, said the Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council (MMTC) and the National…
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Association of Black Owned Broadcasters (NABOB) in individual meetings Monday and Wednesday with Chairman Ajit Pai and every other commissioner, recounted a filing in docket 14-50. Pai circulated an NPRM on C4 FM this week (see 1802060049). The new class would be an opportunity for many minority-owned stations to “improve their technical facilities” without impinging on the footprint of neighboring stations, MMTC and NABOB said: “Under the current regulatory environment, many independent and minority-owned stations are and will be forever unable to upgrade their facilities.” Eliminating AM/FM subcaps is expected to be part of the 2018 quadrennial review recommendations (see 1801080059). It would lead the radio and radio equipment industries to cease investing in radio, NABOB and MMTC said. That would be a “death knell” for AM, undermining the FCC AM revitalization, they said. “AM stations (which are disproportionately minority owned) would suffer deeply.” The FCC’s rural radio policy prevents minority broadcasters, historically shunted toward owning stations in rural areas by discrimination, from relocating to more competitive markets, the filing said. The policy should be repealed, the two groups said. The FCC needs additional enforcement power “to shut down pirates without relying on DOJ to sue,” NABOB and MMTC said.