FCC Takes Additional Steps to Implement the Local Community Radio Act

The Federal Communications Commission adopted a Fourth Report and Order and a companion Fifth Report and Order and Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to further implement the Local Community Radio Act (LCRA). The items help promote community radio through the licensing of low power FM (LPFM) and FM translator stations, advancing the LCRA and Commission goal of fostering localism and diversity in the radio landscape. The Fourth Report and Order adopts the market-specific translator application processing approach.

Among other things, the Fourth Report & Order:

  • Sets forth a revised spectrum availability analysis that better identifies and protects areas with significant populations where LPFM service is most practical and sustainable;
  • Gives translator applicants proposing to serve spectrum-limited areas an ability to demonstrate that their applications, if granted, would not preclude certain identified LPFM opportunities;
  • Adopts a national cap of 50 applications and a market-based cap of one application per applicant per market for the most spectrum-limited markets, minimizing the potential for speculative licensing conduct; and
  • Modifies the May 1, 2009, date restriction to allow pending FM translator applications that are subsequently granted to be used as cross-service translators.

The Fifth Report and Order eliminates the third-adjacent channel spacing requirements applicable to LPFM stations.


FCC Takes Additional Steps to Implement the Local Community Radio Act FCC (FCC Order 12-28) FCC Order (FCC Order 12-29) FCC (Appendix A 12-29) FCC (Appendix B 12-29)