Digital AM and FM Radio (IBOC)
-
List of stations authorized for "hybrid" operation (analog + digital signals),
[ AM | FM ]
Directional Antennas for FM Stations (documents pertaining to)
- Criteria for Licensing of FM Broadcast Antenna Systems,
Public Notice, FCC 84-437, released
September 14, 1984. Any technique or means (including side mounting)
which intentionally distorts the radiation pattern of an FM antenna requires
that the antenna be licensed as directional.
DJ Licenses
are No Longer Required -- DJs and other persons
operating a licensed broadcast station are not required to have an
operator's license. The broadcast licensee continues to be responsible for proper
operation of the licensed station. Report and Order, MM Docket
94-130, 10 FCC Rcd 11479 [ PDF ].
Documents --
Engineering and
Legal documents pertaining to radio, of historical and topical
interest, as collected by the Audio Division. A
Subject List is available to show the various subject areas.
The lists are updated as needed.
Donor
Acknowledgements, Enhanced Underwriting, and Program Related
Materials -- Noncommercial Educational Stations only
Early
FM Radio -- Documents
Emergency Alert System
(EAS) is administered by the Public
Safety and Homeland Security Bureau
"FAA Flight Service Station Reporting
Service Requirements for Tower Light Outages", DA 00-580,
released March 16, 2000. [ PDF |
MS Word 97 | Text ]. Tower light outages and restoration of tower lighting
must be recorded in the station's log, in addition to the date, time,
and the Flight Service Station (FSS) notified of the lighting outage.
Facility ID Number for Broadcast Stations
-- A unique number has been assigned to each AM, FM, LPFM, TV, LPTV,
translator, and booster station. This number
is being employed to provide an unvarying reference between
various databases at the Commission, and to minimize discrepancies caused
by call sign or facilities changes. The Facility ID Number for a broadcast
station may be determined by using CDBS. We encourage the use of this number, along with the station
call sign and file number if appropriate,
on the cover page of all documents pertaining to particular
broadcast stations submitted to the FCC.
Filing
Fees and Regulatory Fees -- Fees are applicable to
commercial applicants only.
FM Preliminary
Study searches the FM Query for database records on the same channel
(cochannel), first-adjacent, second-adjacent, and third-adjacent channels,
as well as the intermediate frequency (I.F.) channels. Search is by
distances only.
Forms
-
Forms, Electronic Filing of -- AM, FM, and TV
Forms available for electronic filing are
FCC Forms 301, 301-CA, 302-CA, 302-FM, 302-DTV, 314, 315, 316, 318, 319, 323,
323-E, 337, 340, 346, 347, 349, 350, 396, 396-A
- EEO Forms 395-A and 395-B have been suspended by
Commission Order FCC 01-34. Forms 396, 396-C, and 397 are
presently in preparation.
- Forms via the Internet
Grandfathered FM Stations, MM Docket 96-120, FCC 97-276, 12 FCC Rcd 11840, 62 FR 50818 (1997),
[ PDF ]. Current rules for grandfathered short-spaced stations that have remained
short-spaced since November 1962.
HAAT (Antenna Height Above Average Terrain) Calculator
How To Apply For A
Broadcast Station, general information
Inspections of Radio
Installations -- Fact Sheet, from the Enforcement Bureau
Localism
in broadcasting (Localism Task Force)
Low Power AM and FM Broadcast Radio Stations
Mailing Addresses for Broadcast Stations -- Call sign only
is required for access.
Main Studio and
Public Inspection File Requirements.
See the Memorandum Opinion and Order in MM Docket
97-138, FCC 99-118, 14 FCC Rcd 11113, released May 28, 1999 [ PDF ] and the earlier Report and Order, MM Docket 97-138, FCC 98-175,
13 FCC Rcd 15691, released August 11, 1998 [ PDF ]
Minor Change Definition and Procedures Revised for FM
Applications --
First Report and Order (PDF) in MM Docket 98-93, FCC 99-55, 64 FR 19498, released March 30,
1999. First Come / First Served processing adopted for AM, FM
noncommercial educational, and FM translator minor change
applications. The definition of what constitutes a minor change
application was greatly expanded.
Noncommercial Educational (NCE) FM
Mutually Exclusive Application Determinations
Propagation Curves Computations for FM Radio and Television Stations
- F(50,50), F(50,10), F(50,90) curves. (On-Line Program.)
Negotiated Interference, Point-to-Point Contour Prediction Model were considered in the
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking and Order, MM Docket 98-93
[ PDF (includes appendices) | Word Perfect 5.1 + Appendices in WP 5.1 ].
The proposed changes are summarized in the News Release "FCC Seeks Comment on Negotiated Interference As Part of Radio
Technical Rule Streamlining", released June 11, 1998. Sample runs of the
program and opdated technical information are available from the
Audio Division PTP
and OET PTP pages.
NOTE: Because the Commission has not adopted
provisions allowing for negotiated interference or use of PTP to predict
potential interference at the present time, we will not accept
applications that specify such processing, pending the outcome of the
rulemaking proceeding.
Notices of Proposed
Rulemaking (NPRM) from the Media Bureau
Numbers of
Radio and TV Broadcast Stations in the USA
Obscene or Indecent Broadcasts
-
"Industry Guidance on the Commission's Case Law
Interpreting 18 U.S.C. § 1464 and Enforcement Policies Regarding
Broadcast Indecency", Policy Statement, FCC 01-90, 16 FCC Rcd
7999, released April 6, 2001. [ PDF | MS Word 97 | Text ]
PTFP / Public Telecommunications Facilities Program. "PTFP is a
competitive grant program to help public broadcasting stations, state
and local governments, Indian Tribes and nonprofit organizations construct
facilities to bring educational and cultural programs to the American
Public using broadcasting and nonbroadcasting telecommunications
technologies." This program is administered by NTIA -- NOT the FCC -- and all inquiries must be referred to NTIA.
"Public and Broadcasting" provides a brief
non-technical overview of the FCC's regulation of broadcast radio and
television. This manual is REQUIRED to be in each station's local public
inspection file, per 47 CFR 73.3526 and 73.3527. Revised July 2008.
"Quiet Spots"
Between Stations on the Dial
Radio Operators' Licenses
are issued by the Wireless Telecommunications
Bureau. However, DJs and other persons operating a licensed broadcast
station are no longer required to have an operator's license.
(Report and Order, MM Docket 94-130, 10 FCC Rcd 11479 (1995)
[ PDF | Word ].) The broadcast licensee continues to be responsible for proper operation of the
station.
Radiofrequency Exposure information. Broadcasters
are required to comply with the Commission's radiofrequency exposure
limits, in coordination with other RF users at the site.
Renewal of License Applications for Radio Broadcast Stations
-- All radio
broadcast station licenses will expire between 2011 and 2014. Licensees
must file a license renewal application (FCC Form 303-S) and the
Broadcast Equal Employment Opportunity Program Statement (FCC Form 396)
four months before the expiration date of the station's license.
This page provides information about the license
renewal process for radio broadcast stations.
Radio Tools -- A small
popup screen allows quick access to programs and
most-requested information.
Remote Control Point Notifications: A letter notifying the Commission
of the location and telephone number
of the remote control point (also called transmission system
control point) must be sent to the Audio Division,
Mail Stop 1800B2, FCC, Washington, D.C. 20554 within 3 days of the
initial use of that point. Notification is not required if personnel
can be contacted at the main studio site or at the transmitter site during
all hours of operation. See 47 CFR Section 73.1350(g) and Question 8 of
Unattended Operation of Radio and Television Broadcast
Stations.
Renewal of License Applications for Radio Broadcast Stations -- All radio
broadcast station licenses will expire between 2003 and 2006. Licensees
will need to file a renewal application for the next license term.
This page provides information about the radio broadcast license
renewal process.
Rules and Regulations from the Code of
Federal Regulations, which is compiled by the Government Printing
Office
Self-Inspection
Checklist for FM Broadcast Stations
Service Area / Service Contour Maps are
available through the FM Query. Select the
longer, detailed Query output before submitting the request; when the
records are returned, select the "Service Contour Map" link under the
desired record.
-
FM and TV Service Contour Data Points -- The files
contained herein consist of calculated latitude and longitude points for FM and TV service
contours, 360 points for each contour. The contour data must be correllated with data from the
CDBS database, or from the
AM,
FM, or
TV Queries. This data is intended
for use with GIS systems.
Silent
AM and FM Broadcast Station Lists
Siting Policy Information Guide
Table of Vacant Allotments. Because the Table of Allotments changes almost daily,
the Media Bureau will not post a current table on the Internet. This link will
take you to the Table of Allotments in 47 CFR 73.202 that is published
once yearly in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). NOTE: Because of
recent revisions to the rules
"The Public and Broadcasting" (revised July 2008) provides a brief
non-technical overview of the FCC's regulation of broadcast radio
and television. This manual is REQUIRED to be in each station's local public
inspection file, per 47 CFR 73.3526 and .
Translators and Booster Stations on the FM Band -- General
information.
Transmission Line Efficiency and Transmitter Power Output Calculations
for FM stations
Unattended Operation of Broadcast Stations,
Report and Order, MM Docket 94-130, 10 FCC Rcd 11479, released 10/23/1995
[ PDF | Word Perfect 5.1 ]