FCC Actions
The FCC has released its quarterly station count.
The number of licensed AMs continues to drop as fourteen were lost this quarter after going down by seventeen in the first quarter. Commercial FMs were down by 43 licenses lost this quarter, which was countered by non-commercial FMs rising by 36. This includes both licenses cancelled, new sign-ons, and commercial licenses reallocated as non-commercial.
| AM | FM Commercial | FM Educational | Total Radio | LPFM | FM Translators Boosters | Total Broadcast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1970 | 4269 | 2083 | 399 | 6751 | 0 | n/a | n/a |
| Dec 1990 | 4987 | 4392 | 1440 | 10819 | 0 | 1866 | 19939 |
| Dec 1995 | 4909 | 5296 | 1815 | 12020 | 0 | 1541 | 22683 |
| Sep 1999 | 4783 | 5766 | 2066 | 12615 | 0 | 3237 | 24575 |
| Dec 2003 | 4794 | 6217 | 2552 | 13563 | 0 | 3834 | 26613 |
| Dec 2008 | 4786 | 6247 | 3040 | 14253 | 859 | 6120 | 29832 |
| Dec 2013 | 4727 | 6612 | 4019 | 15358 | 776 | 6054 | 30432 |
| Dec 2018 | 4619 | 6754 | 4135 | 15508 | 2172 | 7952 | 33342 |
| Dec 2019 | 4593 | 6772 | 4135 | 15500 | 2169 | 8182 | 33513 |
| Dec 2020 | 4551 | 6699 | 4195 | 15445 | 2136 | 8420 | 33564 |
| Dec 2021 | 4509 | 6676 | 4204 | 15389 | 2069 | 8866 | 33467 |
| Dec 2022 | 4484 | 6686 | 4207 | 15377 | 2015 | 8950 | 33517 |
| Sep 2023 | 4452 | 6670 | 4263 | 15385 | 1978 | 8928 | 33447 |
| Dec 2023 | 4444 | 6663 | 4286 | 15393 | 1967 | 8927 | 33428 |
| Mar 2024 | 4427 | 6663 | 4320 | 15380 | 1960 | 8913 | 33344 |
| July 2024 | 4413 | 6620 | 4356 | 15389 | 1965 | 8906 | 33326 |
The FCC has stated that its recent reinstatement of the FM duplication rule will take effect on Friday, August 2. Any license that exceeds the duplication allowance will be given a six month grace period until February 3, 2025. Any station that is planning to apply for a waiver are encouraged to submit the request by October 31. If done, that station will be allowed to continue duplicating programming until the waiver request is denied, but the FCC may give the station up to six additional months to come into compliance.
Pine City Radio has been issued an Order to Show Cause for failing to pay regulatory fees for 2020 through 2023 for their Classic Country “Bama 106.1” WBMH Grove Hill and Variety Hits “Smash Hits 94.5” WHOD Jackson AL. WBMH owes a combined $5536.37 and WHOD owes $6378.06 plus additional interest with the commission deducting a previous overpayment of $105.40 from what is owed upon written request.
Silent Notifications
- UM Enterprise LLC’s 1110 WTOF Bay Minette AL (Tower work commencing)
- Dockins Communications’ 92.1 WPRY-FM Perry FL (Damaged coaxial cable)
- Legend Communications’ 96.5 KLGT Buffalo WY (Intermittent power loss)
- Legend Communications’ 98.3 KZZS Story WY (Intermittent power loss)
FM Changes
Press Communications’ 99.7 WBHX Tuckerton NJ applies to increase power from 650w/178m to 1kW/174m. WBHX simulcasts Classic Rock “107.1 The Boss” WWZY Long Branch.
Starlite Broadcasting Hot AC “96.5 The Beach” KLTG Corpus Christi proposes to relocate to the tower utilized by Malkan Interactive Communications’ 92.7 KKBA and 95.5 KZFM with 100kW/241.8m.
The Marconi Broadcasting Foundation’s CP for 88.5 WQNP Narragansett RI applies to amend its CP to operate with 130w/51m.
Translator Changes
| Station | Owner | Freq | City | ST | Power/HAAT | Rebroadcast |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 94.5 K233DV Draper UT | Hi-Line Radio Fellowship | 94.5 | Draper | UT | 99w vert/-1556m” data-order=” 99w vert/-1556m” > 99w vert/-1556m | 1320 KNIT Salt Lake City |
| 94.5 K233DI Provo UT | Sanpete County Broadcasting Co. | 94.5 | Provo | UT | 150w vert/-1508m” data-order=” 150w vert/-1508m” > 150w vert/-1508m | 105.1 KUDD American Fork |
| 103.7 W279AR Jesup GA | Shanks Broadcasting | 103.7 | Brunswick | GA | 250w/114m” data-order=” 250w/114m” > 250w/114m | 790 WSFN Brunswick |
| 100.7 W264CH Tomahawk WI | Albert Broadcasting II | 97.7 | Tomahawk | WI | 250w/80m” data-order=” 250w/80m” > 250w/80m | 810 WJJQ Tomahawk |
Primary Station Changes
Stu-Comm Inc.’s 95.3 W237DF Lexington VA will continue to carry the AAA programming of 91.9 WNRN-FM Charlottesville, but changes parent signal to their 94.3 WTON-FM Staunton.
Butte Broadcasting Company’s 104.5 K283AR and 105.7 K289CH Chico CA are swapping primary signals. K283AR will now be fed by 104.9 KYIX-HD2 South Oroville while dropping its rebroadcast of Christian Preaching 930 KKXX/103.9 K280GL Chico to instead carry EMF’s “K-Love” Christian AC network. Classic Hits “Sunny 105.7” K289CH moves to KYIX-HD3.
Call Letter Changes
91.1 NEW Fox AR -> KVGF (effective 7/11)
104.1 KCGK Lutesville MO -> KQLS (effective 7/12)
1570 WFTU Riverhead NY -> WBZO (effective 8/17)
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com