Washington - Aug 15, 2007 - On July 14, 2006, the National Association of Broadcasters filed a petition for rulemaking proposing an amendment to the FCC Rules to allow AM broadcast stations to operate FM translator stations. The NAB Petition proposed that AM stations be permitted to license and/or use FM translator stations to retransmit their AM service as a fill-in service to rebroadcast the AM signal, provided that no portion of the 60dBu contour of any such FM translator station extends beyond the smaller of a 25-mile radius from the AM transmitter site, or the 2mV/m daytime contour of the AM station. The FCC received more than 500 comments on the NAB petition, with the majority supporting the proposal.

The FCC has issued a notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) to enact rules to permit the use of FM translators by AM stations. The FCC will also examine the issues related to such a rule change, including the issue of program origination at night over FM translators by AM daytime-only stations.

Comments are due 60 days after the public notice appears in the Federal Register. Reply comments are due 90 days after publication of the notice in the Federal Register.
MB Docket No. 07-172