The March Open Meeting at the Federal Communications Commission will feature a plank on the implementation of plans to handle the backload of applications for FM translators and to implement elements of the Local Community Radio Act to promote the creation of additional low power FM stations.
The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday 3/21/12.
Here are the agenda items of interest to the radio industry:
* Creation of a Low Power Radio Service Report and Order: The Commission will consider a Report and Order to implement a market-specific FM translator processing scheme, adopt application caps to prevent trafficking, and modify policies to expand opportunities to rebroadcast AM stations on FM translators.
* Creation of a Low Power Radio Service Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Report and Order: The Commission will consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding proposals to implement the Local Community Radio Act and to strengthen the LPFM service, including second adjacent channel waiver procedures, interference remediation requirements, and modification of eligibility, ownership, and selection standards.
The commissioners will also be looking at program access rules, interoperability in the 700 MHz band and advanced wireless in the GHz band.
RBR-TVBR observation: The big question at the moment is this: Will these items be voted on by three or five commissioners? Mr. Grassley?
