Broadcasting Archives

Thanks for looking into this mystery. At first we didn't believe it because of all the correct data entered incorrectly, but it has led us to the fact that we are over 3,000 ft above the Sacramento Valley so as a "rim-shot" KYRR has perfect "line of sight" reception 30 to 60 miles away from near Sacramento to near Chico, Ca, and almost no reception in the city of license. Anywhere we drive in the valley it comes in and word on the street says 50,000 listeners, not bad for 7 watts. It seems that the rating is based on October 2007 Arbitrons (up 2% over Feb 2007), but the webmaster at NALPB got some things wrong, KCVE and KYRR seem to be transposed and, since several are not LPFM's, we are probably better than #6. With a new Air One translater in Sacramento we lost some listeners in North Sacramento, so we await the newest update for Feb 2008 Arbitrons as do our other local stations that use Arbitron.  

Thanks for mentioning us in your story, let us know what you can find out about NALPB.  

Your Friends at Yuba River

0/12/07 Radio & Records magazine: Allowing the FCC to license new low-power FM stations (LPFMs) closer together on the FM band by exempting the third adjacency channel prohibitions will lead to interference with already established full-power FM stations, NAB president/CEO David Rehr told Sen. Daniel Inouye in a letter Friday (Oct.12).

The letter follows the Thursday (Oct. 11) acknowledgement by FCC chairman Kevin Martin that he would support legislation introduced in June by Sen. Mary Cantwell (D-Wash.), known as the Local Community Radio Act of 2007 (Senate Bill 1675), which aims to drop the third channel adjacency requirements to spawn more LPFMs. The bill has three co-sponsors: Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who is a longtime proponent of lifting the restrictions and introduced similar legislation several years ago, Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).

But the NAB argues that the protection is necessary to prevent LPFMs from crossing over into established signals and disrupting the broadcasts of noncommercial and commercial broadcasters.

In his letter to Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Inouye, Rehr says the œlegislation would allow the FCC to license thousands of micro-radio stations which will interfere with full power FM radio stations. These bills are based upon the results of a flawed study to determine the amount of interference these new micro-radio stations would cause. That study, however, was deficient in its methodology, implementation and analysis of results in assessing the need for third adjacent channel interference protection.

Rehr notes that the FCC has licensed hundreds of LPFM stations around the country and that many more have been granted construction permits or have applications pending. The commission should continue to review and act on pending LPFM applications and facilitate those that have received construction permits. Clearly, there is a process in place for LPFM stations to exist within the current third adjacent protection policy that all stations, both low power and full power, must follow.

Rehr, repeating the mantra of his predecessor, Eddie Fritts, also writes, Local broadcasters do not oppose the licensing of LPFM stations. We do oppose the introduction of thousands of micro-radio stations that would cause significant harmful interference to full power FM radio stations. Third adjacent protection exists for a reason -- to guard against interference and to protect our lifeline service to communities.

The NAB's position on LPFM has been the same since the idea of LPFM was conceived nearly a decade ago, before the service was authorized by Congress in January 2006 with the goal to “enhance locally focused community-oriented radio broadcasting.

A broad, blanket policy change is harmful and unnecessary. Congress should resist any efforts to remove third adjacent channel protections. As you review LPFM legislation during the remainder of the 110th Congress, we hope you will keep in mind the concerns of your local broadcasters and that you would refrain from cosponsoring this legislation,  Rehr wrote.

There are more than 500 LPFMs licensed throughout the country, all non-commercial, broadcasting between 10 and 100 watts, with some having the effective radiated power of 250 watts.

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Arbitron Ratings for LPFM  Changes to ways LPFM stations are rated.