The Great Translator Invasion
In March 2003, the FCC opened a filing window for new FM translator stations operating
in the non-reserved band (92-108 MHz). This window was open to both commercial and non-commercial
applicants therefore it was an auction window.
Possibly motiviated by a petition filed by Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls, Inc. to allow satellite
fed translators in the non-reserved band, thousands of allegedly speculative applications were filed
by two commonly-owned organizations. These applications were originally filed requesting to repeat
commercial stations on their short form applications and then were changed to non-commercial stations
on their long form applications thus excluding them from filing fees.
what has angered those in the community radio movement is not just the fact that they filed so many
applications, but that they are now starting to sell these unbuilt construction permits. So far, this
organization has booked over $800,000 in revnue and the FCC has approved over $300,000 worth.
In response to requests from the community radio movement, the FCC has imposed a freeze on the grant of
new translator construction permits. That freeze has lapsed and the various community radio movement
groups are requesting that this freeze be extended to any organization that has filed more than 10 applications
and extend the freeze to include the assignment and transfer of construction permits.
The FCC is looking at changing the rules on how an LPFM is required to protect a translator including the
overall dismissal of all ungranted translator applications. REC does not support the dismissal of all translator
applications as some of these will provide needed services to local broadcasters.
REC has proposed that all translators that were in service before the Great Translator Invasion that are
"local translators" should be eligible for protection from LPFM stations. In addition, translators filed
during the Great Translator Invasion window that are commonly owned by the primary station and fully within the
service contour of the primary station would be subject to protection as these are "fill-in" translators.
Translators subject to displacement are those with a ultimate primary station that is in a different state at
at least 450 km away from the translator. These translators are not able to provide a local service to its
listeners and therefore an LPFM should be allowed to displace these stations if there is no way to accommodate
both the LPFM station and the translator.
For more information on protected translators, see 99-25.
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