MB Docket 03-130: Definition of Radio Markets Outside Arbitron Radio Survey Areas

Even though the media concentration rules of the FCC have been overturned, that order did spawn a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to inquire on how markets will be defined in areas outside the areas surveyed by Arbitron.

In our comments, we rebutted the FCC's proposal to use county boundaries to define media markets. REC counterproposed markets that actually reflect the coverage of clusters of stations that serve the same area.

REC defines specific market areas in Southern California and Arizona.

Supports elimination of third adjacent and limited second adjacent requirements

REC has filed comments with the FCC on the 700+ page report by the MITRE Corporation in respect to third-adjacent channel protection in respect to Low Power FM (LPFM) broadcast stations.

This report was ordered by Congress as a part of the passage of the Radio Broadcast Protection Act, the legislation that imposed third adjacent channel restrictions on LPFM stations.

In our comments, we supported the elimination of third adjacent channel restrictions to domestic FM full power and translator stations.

We have addressed several of the issues brought up in the MITRE report.

Opportunity for Window groups 1, 2 and 3 to settle.

The FCC today has announced the first MX Settlement Window for LPFM applicants who filed in Windows I, II and III.

The groups identified have until October 31, 2003 to make their settlements.

Within REC's Area of Interest (AOI), California is included in this group.

REC has already spotted at least one error in the MX list. We will evaluate the MX groups and should have our recommendations in early September.

More information to follow on our Filing Windows page.

FCC says no to requiring radio transmitters to be registered like firearms.

The FCC has denied a petition by Dale Reich to require all purchases of radio transmitters to be recorded and logged. In the same petition Reich asked that the FCC require registration tags to show that there is proof of a license to use equipment.

In it's order, the FCC relies heavily on the comments filed by REC as well as a joint opposition led by CompUSA.

The order states:

FCC says no to reinstating dismissed LPFM applications.

REC received a letter today from Audio Bureau chief Peter Doyle denying both a petition for reconsideration filed by REC Networks and other LPFM stakeholders and an Emergency Motion filed solely by REC Networks.

The Petition for Reconsideration was filed one week after the "St. Patrick's Day Massacre" when the FCC dismissed hundreds of LPFM applications in March, 2003. In our timely filed Petition for Reconsideration, REC stated that the issue around third- adjacent channel protection was still an open issue pending the outcome of the MITRE study and any subsequent Congressional action.