NAB, LPFM Broadcasters Disagree Over Power Increase Petition
Low-power FM broadcasters urged the FCC to adopt a petition to increase LPFM power levels and allow them more interference flexibility, but NAB cautioned against the plan, in comments posted Monday in RM-11810. “Increasing the maximum LPFM power output could…
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not only increase interference to existing FM services, but potentially change the carefully designed hyper-local nature of LPFM service,” NAB responded to the petition from REC Networks. “There is a disparity between how LPFM stations protect FM translator facilities and how FM translator facilities protect LPFM stations,” REC said. The petition would address technical issues that are affecting LPFM stations, REC said. “More than ample time has passed to demonstrate that the interference concerns of existing broadcasters have proven unfounded in the establishment of the LPFM service,” said Cambridge, Maryland, LPFM station WHCP-LP. Prometheus Radio Project and Common Frequency endorsed the REC petition, saying the FCC should work to “simplify and mesh” LPFM and translator regulation and interference methodologies “to eliminate the inconsistencies which lead to unnecessary points of contention.” The petition seeks to grant LPFM too much flexibility, said the Educational Media Foundation. “Existing FM services are already under-protected from LPFM, and the proposals of REC would only exacerbate such under-protection.” The creation of a new class of higher power LPFM stations would be “a welcome step toward a more robust presence for LPFMs on the dial,” said the Future of Music Coalition.