New Jersey broadcasters are asking for a tighter controls or an outright ban on LPFM and translators in their state.

The New Jersey Broadcaster's Association petition to change the rules in their state now has an RM number.

RM-11099

Their proposal calls for:
- All LPFMs and translators operating in NJ to provide 44 dBu (50,50) protection to full power commercial FM stations licensed in NJ.
- Adopt use of the 20dB D/U ratio for second adjacent channel.
- Prohibit future grant of stations with less than 100W ERP
- Prohibit the grant of LPFM licenses to any community in NJ

Comment period is for 30 days from 10/8/04.

A lesson for all LPFMs who offer mentions in return for underwriting

In an order, the FCC admonoished Enid Public Radio Association, licensee of KUAL-LP in Enid, OK for violation of 73.503(d) and section 399B of the Communications Act.

The FCC used this admonishment to remind LPFMs that "announcements may not contain comparative or qualitative descriptions, price information, calls to action, or inducements to buy, sell, rent or lease.".

According to the FCC, the violations happend over a short period of time and that Enid has put new procedures in place to prevent further violations.

Due to Enid's short but blemish free enforcement record, the Commission is not imposing a fine.

Atlantic City and 9 other NJ towns denied an LPFM future due to S.2505 amendment

The McCain LPFM Radio Act (S.2505) was passed through the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation this past week. The version that made it through had two amendments. One was related to LPFM and Full Power FM and their relation to translators. REC is currently analyzing this language and may comment later on this aspect of the amendment.

The other amendment, very cleverly written will retain the third-adjacent channel restrictions in any state that has "more than 3,000,000 housing units and a population density greater than 1,000 people per square mile land area.".

Tuesday, July 20, 2004 marks the 20th year anniversary of REC Networks.

REC Networks first started as a telephone "commentline" called California Comments based out of Chatsworth, CA. Commentlines were a form of telephone entertainment in the 70's and 80's where callers would call and listen to a weekly recording and then be able to record "comments" that would be played on a later program. Commentlines were later replaced by voice response systems.

REC ran several of these voice response systems in the San Fernando Valley, Antelope Valley and the Phoenix areas throughout the late 80's and 90's.

So much for a sigh of relief for MIHS

The FCC has re-released a Report and Order that shifts several Washington and Oregon stations after originally setting it aside in early June. [See REC News #145 http://www.recnet.com/cgi-bin/recnews.cgi?read=145 ]

At the heart of the contraversy is the proposed move of KMCQ, The Dalles OR to Covington WA, just south of the Seattle metropolitan area.

The move of KMCQ to Covington will result in the displacement of KMIH, a class D secondary school station licensed to Mercer Island High School.

KMIH is a Class-D station. Class D stations are considered "secondary". This means that a full power station can displace them. LPFM and translator stations are also considered secondary.