Comment Dates Established In LPFM Proceeding
PUBLIC NOTICE
Federal Communications Commission
News Media Information 202 / 418-0500
445 12th St., S.W.Internet: http://www.fcc.gov
Washington, D.C. 20554
TTY: 1-888-835-5322
DA 12-556
Released: April 9, 2012
Media Bureau Announces Comment Deadlines in Low Power FM Rule Making
Published in Federal Register April 6, 2012
NPRM Comment Date: May 7, 2012
NPRM Reply Comment Date: May 21, 2012
On March 19, 2012, the Commission adopted and released a Fourth Further Notice of ProposedRule Making in the Matter of Creation of a Low Power Radio Service.1 In the Fourth Further Notice, the
Commission seeks comment on proposals to implement certain provisions of the Local Community Radio
Act of 2010 (“LCRA”)2 and other rule changes to promote a more sustainable community radio service.
These include:
-- Adoption of rule changes to implement Section 3(b)(2)A) of the LCRA which authorizes the
Commission to waive LPFM second-adjacent channel distance separation requirements;
-- Modification of third-adjacent channel interference complaint and remediation procedures to
conform to LCRA requirements;
-- Elimination of the LP10 class of service and an increase in the maximum permissible power
level for LPFM facilities in certain areas;
-- Rule amendments to permit Native Nations to own and operate LPFM stations, to hold LPFM
and other radio station licenses, and to add a Native Nation criterion to the point system used to
select among mutually exclusive LPFM applications;
-- Revision of the cross-ownership rule to permit cross-ownership of an LPFM station and FM
translator stations;
--Modifications to the way the FCC processes mutually exclusive applications;
--Removal of the Intermediate Frequencies protection requirements for LPFM stations operating
with less than 100 watts effective radiated power; and
--Extension of the NCE FM mandatory time-sharing rules to the LPFM service.
1 MB Docket No. 99-25; Fifth Report and Order, Fourth Further Notice of Proposed Rule Making, and Fourth Order
on Reconsideration, FCC 12-28 (rel. March 19, 2012) (“Fourth Further Notice”).
2 Pub. L. No. 111-371, 124 Stat. 4072 (2011).
The Commission set deadlines for filing comments and reply comments at 30 and 45 days,
respectively, after publication of the Fourth Further Notice in the Federal Register.3
By this Public Notice, the Media Bureau (“Bureau”) announces that the Fourth Further Notice
was published in the Federal Register on April 6, 2012.4 Comments must be submitted no later than May
7, 2012. Reply Comments must be submitted no later than May 21, 2012. Commenters should follow the
filing instructions provided in paragraphs 74-78 of the Fourth Further Notice.5 The Fourth Further
Notice is also available on the Commission’s website.6
For additional information on this proceeding, contact Peter Doyle, Tom Hutton or Kelly
Donohue, Audio Division, Media Bureau, (202) 418-2700. Press inquiries should be directed to Janice
Wise, (202) 418-8165. TTY: (202) 418-7172 or (888) 835-5322.
--FCC--
3 See Fourth Further Notice at 1.
4 Matter of Creation of A Low Power Radio Service, 77 Fed. Reg. 20756 (Apr. 6, 2012).
5 Fourth Further Notice at 30-31, ¶¶ 74-78.
6 See http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2012/db0319/FCC-12-28A1.doc (Word),
http://transition.fcc.gov/Daily_Releases/Daily_Business/2012/db0319/FCC-12-28A1.pdf (Acrobat).
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