The FCC has released its broadcast station totals for the last quarter of 2024, reflecting the three-month period ending December 31. The biggest takeaway?
Some 30 fewer AM radio stations are on the air today compared to at the end of June 2024.
Meanwhile, there are 100 more noncommercial FMs today than at the close of the third quarter.
That said, there were 92 new NCE FMs added in the fourth quarter tied to a recently conducted FCC effort to bring new noncommercial stations to fruition.
By comparison, there was much less volatility with the number of licensed broadcast TV stations at the end of Q4 2024.
BROADCAST STATION TOTALS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2024
(Compared to September 30, 2024)
TOTAL BROADCAST STATIONS: 33,373 (up 68)
All comparisons below to the end of Q3 2024
AM STATIONS 4383 (minus 17)
FM COMMERCIAL 6625 (plus 7)
FM EDUCATIONAL 4477 (plus 100)
TOTAL 15,485 (plus 92)
UHF COMMERCIAL TV 1029 (plus 3)
VHF COMMERCIAL TV 356 (minus 2)
UHF EDUCATIONAL TV 268 (unchanged)
VHF EDUCATIONAL TV 114 (unchanged)
TOTAL 1,767 (up 1)
CLASS A UHF STATIONS 349 (up 1)
CLASS A VHF STATIONS 32 (down 1)
FM TRANSLATORS & BOOSTERS 8,880 (down 14)
(up from 7813 as of June 30, 2018)
UHF TRANSLATORS 2,453 (up 8)
VHF TRANSLATORS 638 (up 9)
UHF LOW POWER TV 1505 (up 4)
VHF LOW POWER TV 296 (down 15)
LOW POWER FM 1,968 (up 1)
