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Womble Carlyle attorney John Garziglia advocated for the FCC to give AM radio stations the much-needed flexibility to acquire and move FM translators. Now, Garziglia is answering critics who say the FCC’s 250 Mile Waiver will result in a congested, crowded FM band.
Garziglia tells Radio World that as a result of the changes, “FM translators will not crowd the FM band any more than have past changes, and will result in more consistent and noise-free reception for many AM stations.”
“Those complaining about crowding from FM translators are as likely to be adverse to the competitive threat represented by the enhanced reception of AM station programming as they are to the technical aspects of FM translators,” he said.
Under the FCC’s new 250 Mile Waiver, AM stations can acquire and move an FM translator up to 250 miles to rebroadcast the AM signal. An FM translator re-broadcasts the programming of an AM radio station on the FM radio band eliminating many of the static, coverage and fidelity anomalies inherent to AM radio reception. The FCC expects to begin accepting such waiver applications in the first quarter of 2016.
The FCC’s adoption of the 250 mile waiver for moves of FM translators to serve AM stations is based upon an FCC waiver application filed in 2012 and vigorously prosecuted for the past three years by Garziglia’s client Cromwell Radio Group and owner Bud Walters.
Click here to read the full article, “Will FM Band Grow More Congested?” at Radio World.
John Garziglia represents radio and television broadcasters, offering personalized assistance in all areas of communications and telecommunications law including transactional and contract negotiations for broadcast station mergers and acquisitions, the securing of financing, governmental auctions of new frequencies, license renewals, new stations applications, facility changes, facility upgrades, licensing, and compliance with FCC rules, regulations and policies.
Follow John Garziglia on Twitter at @JohnGarziglia.
