{"id":49899,"date":"2021-06-16T22:19:25","date_gmt":"2021-06-17T05:19:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiosurvivor.com\/?p=49899"},"modified":"2021-06-16T22:19:27","modified_gmt":"2021-06-17T05:19:27","slug":"its-alive-fcc-authorizes-last-minute-franken-fm-experiment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.radiosurvivor.com\/2021\/06\/its-alive-fcc-authorizes-last-minute-franken-fm-experiment\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s Alive! FCC Authorizes Last-Minute Franken FM Experiment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cSpecial Temporary Authority\u201d kind of sounds like \u201cDouble Secret Probation<\/a>,\u201d but it\u2019s actually a foot in a closing door for Franken FMs.\u00a0The FCC has granted this \u201ctemporary authority,\u201d known as an STA<\/a>, for channel 6 TV station\u00a0KBKF-LD<\/a>\u00a0to continue broadcasting an analog FM radio signal while its main television signal broadcasts in digital.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we\u2019ve noted before<\/a>, July 13 is the final, long-delayed deadline for analog low-power TV stations to shut off their analog signals in favor of digital, 13 years after full-power stations made the switch. LPTVs were permitted to remain broadcasting in analog, and since the 2009 digital conversion about two dozen stations broadcasting on channel 6, which is adjacent to the FM dial and can be heard at 87.7 FM, have decided to effectively become radio stations. These so-called \u201cFranken FMs\u201d transmit images or a bulletin board on the video signal to accompany an audio signal that is like any other radio station. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With July 13 set to put these stations off the air permanently, Venture Technologies Group, which owns a number of Franken FMs, petitioned the FCC to allow their San Jose, CA station to experiment with keeping both an analog audio and digital video signal on the air. That means they are complying with the spirit of the DTV transition, while also keeping their FM signal operational. They argue all these signals can fit within the bandwidth already allocated for their station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Commission granted this request on a temporary\u2013six month\u2013and provisional basis. One important provision is that KBKF must maintain a real television broadcast on its digital signal, with \u201cat least one stream of synchronized video and audio programming\u2026 on a full time (24\u00d77) basis.\u201d That means no slideshow or bulletin board. The company must submit reports to the FCC on any interference between its analog and digital signals or with any other station, and also may not sell the license during this period. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venture also owns the license for WRME in Chicago, home to what is likely the most popular Franken FM, MeTV Radio<\/a>, programmed by Weigel Communications, and syndicated to several real FM radio stations around the country. According to Inside Radio<\/a> the company is also asking the FCC for an STA for Chicago\u2019s MeTV Radio to broadcast in hybrid digital TV \/ analog audio after July 13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While this is an interesting development, it\u2019s still the case that the dozens of other analog LPTV stations \u2013 including about 21 other channel 6 Franken FMs \u2013 are required to go all digital or leave the airwaves altogether in less than one month. Those Franken FMs may also petition the FCC for an STA, but it\u2019s unclear how many are prepared and how many the Commission would authorize in such short time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time there is a petition in front of the FCC to make the hybrid digital TV \/ analog radio system permanent. If I were a betting man, I\u2019d say the Commission will wait six months to see how the STAs work out before making a ruling. Often the FCC is popularly thought of as an airwaves cop on the lookout for violations, it\u2019s more accurate to say that the Commission is in the business of keeping stations on the air, but within the rules, many of which are there to maintain some semblance of a usable service. Granting this first Franken FM STA indicates the FCC is at least open to the possibility of letting these stations retain their analog FM signals while complying with the digital transition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NPR and other FM broadcasters oppose such a development. The argument I find most compelling has to do with access and fairness: why should these few lucky channel 6 LPTVs be the only ones permitted to use what is, in effect, a new FM frequency at 87.7 FM that no other entity or organization can apply for. On the one hand, it\u2019s reasonable that the FCC doesn\u2019t want to kick these signals off the air, depriving listeners of a service they\u2019ve become accustomed to. But with so few open FM radio signals left, especially in major markets, it seems like more broadcasters ought to get a chance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll be listening for developments in this story. Also check out the Antenna Man on YouTube<\/a>, who\u2019s been using our \u201cFinal Countdown\u201d graphic (with our permission), and is more of a Franken FM advocate than we. <\/p>\n\n\n\n