LPFM

The Media Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission has reached what is believed to be the first in up to three decisions on the LPFM stations that would eventually be referred to as the “Charlottesville 5”.

The Charlottesville 5 stations included WREN-LP, WXRK-LP, WVAI-LP and WPVC-LP, all licensed to Charlottesville, VA; as well as WKMZ-LP, Ruckersville, VA.  The licenses of WPVC-LP and WKMZ-LP would be subsequently cancelled and therefore, only three of the stations remain today.

Today, Monday, August 12, 2024, REC Networks (REC) is announcing the launch of a new initiative to recognize well-established Low Power FM (LPFM) broadcast stations with a track record of longevity, dependability and rules compliance.

The new program is called PACE, which stands for Participation, Availability, Compliance and Experience.  PACE will utilize various metrics from REC’s vast collection of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) data to highlight those well-established stations that have been the most involved in the proper operation of their station in an effort to be good broadcast band neighbors and to better the medium of radio in an effort consistent with REC’s overall goals to keep radio relevant, especially in this time of “non-radio” competition.

As of the time of this writing (Saturday, December 16, 2023), the FCC has not yet released the information on the applications filed in the 2023 LPFM Filing Window. The FCC's methods of handling of the application data post window is a great departure to how the 2021 NCE Filing Window was done where we were able to see all of the applications filed approximately two hours after the window closed. We understand that there are some back office functions that need to take place which may require taking LMS down for a period of time. Therefore, we do not know when this will take place.

During an FCC filing window for new broadcast construction permits, such as the 2021 Noncommercial Educational (NCE) FM filing window and the current 2023 Third Generation Low Power FM (LPFM) filing window, the FCC suppresses the applications in the License Management System (LMS) from being publicly viewed until after the close of the window.  This is in order to assure the fairness of the window as all applications filed in the window are considered as simultaneously filed.

A recent discussion on a Facebook group related to Low Power FM (LPFM) had expressed concern over what was being called by some as a “data breach”.  Specifically, it was reported that it was possible to view LPFM applications that were filed during the window period prior to the close of the window period.

REC Networks provides an end of year "annual report" on the current count and organizational segment makeup of the Low Power FM (LPFM) broadcast service.  The number of LPFM stations are currently declining.  The main reasons for the past year's declines can be attributed to a few factors including stations that did not renew their licenses as well as organizations that are divesting their LPFM stations as a result of a granted construction permit in the 2021 NCE FM Filing Window.  The following data is a snapshot that is based as of end of business on December 30, 2022 (the

The FCC has announced that over a dozen different types of filings that were done previously in CDBS and temporarily on "paper" (email notification), as well as some new filing types will be able to be done electronically through LMS starting on May 17, 2022. 

These application types include:

The FCC has reinstated the operations of WYPH-LP, Manchester, CT after over a year of non-operation and denied the second-adjacent channel complaint of Red Wolf Broadcasting Corporation. 

The Federal Communications Commission has released a circulation draft for a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in MB Docket 21-263, which eliminates or modifies some outmoded or unnecessary broadcast regulations as well as harmonizes some rules to be consistent with other rules and previously updated international agreements. This item will be voted on or before the next FCC Open Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, July 13.

In an Order on Reconsideration, the FCC has upheld all of the decisions made in their 2020 Report and Order in MB Docket 19-193.  The 19-193 decision made several changes to the LPFM rules, including:

On June 14, 2021, RadioWorld published an article with the headline "FCC Seems To Affirm 100-Watt LPFM Limit".  The article suggested that despite the fact that the FCC had brought REC's Simple250 proposal to Public Notice that the suggestion that Acting Chairwoman Janet Rosenworcel's comments in her personal blog that the upcoming action on the Order on Reconsideration bringing "finality to the rules" would render Simple250 "dead in the water".