REC operational status (March 21, 2024, 10:30 AM EDT) - REC is currently in "partially" reduced operations due to family medical issues. Please be patient as it may take longer to get back to you with inquiries. Things are improving here and no longer requiring daily trips into town. Thank you for your patience.

Public Notice rule "officially" starts for LPFM on July 20.. but temporarily, under the "old rules".

On Friday, the FCC announced that the rule changes from MB Docket 17-264, which dealt with public notices was published in the Federal Register.  As most of the rule changes require changes to forms and/or information collection, they have been referred to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for their approval in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act and therefore, will not enacted until later this year. 

There will be no National EAS Test in 2020

Citing the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus public health emergency response, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has stated that they will not conduct a national test of the IPAWS system.  In their statement, FEMA noted:

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Some new LPFM rules take effect on July 13.. others are still on deck.

Several changes to the FCC Rules from the recent LPFM Technical Change Order (MB Docket 19-193) were published today in the Federal Register.  Many of the rules will take effect on July 13, 2020.  Some rules, which require a change to FCC forms or other changes to information collection need to go through another step with the US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) before they are effective.  The various rules that will go into effect on July 13 include:

Sharing of EAS decoders.

REC files new 250-watt LPFM petition with a strong focus on rural areas.

Riverton, MD (May 28, 2020) : REC Networks has filed with the FCC a new Petition for Rulemaking to create an additional 250-watt class of service for Low Power FM (LPFM).  The new “Simple 250” plan addresses the issues that were expressed by the Commission in the Report and Order of MB Docket 19-193 regarding additional complexity to the application process and compliance with the Local Community Radio Act of 2010 (LCRA).

17-264: Advice for LPFM stations with commonly-owned FM translators or FM boosters.

The FCC recently adopted the Second Report and Order in MB Docket 17-264 which makes substantial changes to the rules related to public notices that broadcast applicants must make in accordance with Section 311(a) of the Communications Act.   For FM translator and FM booster licenses, this normally involved taking out advertising in the newspaper.  The FCC has now realized that in this modern era, requiring broadcast sta

17-264: FCC modernizes public notice rules, Media Bureau waives "pre-file" renewal announcements indefinitely

Prior to the May open meeting, the Federal Communications Commission has adopted the broadcast public notice Report and Order (MB Dockets 17-265, 17-105, 05-6).  In the Order, the FCC made some monumental changes on how broadcasters comply with Section 311(a) of the Communications Act which requires all broadcast applicants to make a public notice of their application.  This law was passed by Congress in the early 60s as part of a suite of legislation r

REC Initial Analysis: Broadcasters for Limited Program Origination petition to permit local origination and expansion of fill-in translator service areas

Updated June 23, 2020.

The petition for rulemaking was filed by a consortium of 24 broadcast licensees calling themselves “Broadcasters for Limited Program Origination” (BLPO). 

The petition was in response to the petition made by GeoBroadcast Solutions that petitioned the FCC to allow FM boosters to originate separate content at times.  This item was put on public notice as RM-11854 and public comments were collected in April.

The BLPO Petition calls for the FCC to look beyond boosters for local origination but to also permit FM translators (as well as boosters) to originate up to 128 hours per week of separate programming without any restrictions on the type of content the translator/booster carries.

BLPO also calls for the “coverage contour” which is used to determine the coverage area of a translator to extend past the 60 dBu contour clear out to the 45 dBu contour of the primary station.  For this, BLPO is citing the recent changes in FM translator interference remediation rules that allows valid complaints to come from listeners located within the 45 dBu contour of the complaining station.

REC joins NAB, iHeart & others in opposition to draconian efforts by the FCC to regulate website and app layout

Late Monday evening, REC Networks wrote a letter to the attention of the FCC Media Bureau and the Media Advisers for all Commissioners and the Chairman to oppose language in the draft Report and Order for MB Docket 17-264 relating to the requirement in the Communications Act that broadcast stations must make public notice when certain types of applications are filed.

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