FCC Denies Petitions for Recon of Revamped FM Translator Interference Rules
The FCC rejected four petitions for reconsideration of changes to the FM translator interference rules, as expected (see 2009150061). Tuesday's order on recon denied and dismissed recon petitions from the LPFM (low-power FM) Coalition, broadcaster Fellowship of the Earth, Skywave…
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Communications and Charles Anderson. The petitions argued that the changes were outside FCC authority and attacked a number of aspects, including standards for what constitutes a valid interference complaint and restrictions on the location of such complaints. The LPFM Coalition argues that listeners were disenfranchised by rules not allowing broadcasters to count multiple complaints from the same building toward the complaint minimum. The FCC is unaware of “any court or agency precedent” supporting the coalition's “assertion that the Petition Clause requires the Commission to accept and consider all listener complaints of translator interference,” the order said. "If a ‘real and consistent’ interference problem caused by a translator should occur, we anticipate that the affected station will be able to readily obtain the required minimum number of listener complaints.”