The FCC released its quarterly list of the total number of broadcast stations this week and once again the number of radio stations increased from the prior quarter. As of June 30, there were 15,425 licensed full power radio stations in the United States. The only categories that were on the decline were AM stations (down 5 stations since the end of March) and FM commercial stations (down 2 stations since the end of March).
As we’ve been seeing for the past few years, the number of non-commercial educational FM radio stations continued to grow, with 25 more stations this quarter. For some perspective on this growth, there were 569 more non-commercial FM stations at the end of June, 2014 than there were at the end of June, 2011. During this same 3-year period, the total number of radio stations increased by 615.
Additionally, there were 59 more FM translators/boosters this quarter and 40 more low power FM (LPFM) stations. As the FCC continues to process all of the LPFM applications submitted last fall, we will see the number of LPFM stations continue to rise. Here’s a run-down of the count:
As of June 30, 2014:
AM Stations: 4,721 (down from 4,726 in 3/14 )
FM Commercial Stations: 6,622 (down from 6,624 in 3/14)
FM Educational Stations: 4,082 (up from 4,057 in 3/14)
Total Radio Stations: 15,425 (up from 15,406 in 3/14)
Not included in Total Radio Stations:
FM Translators and Boosters: 6141 (up from 6,082 in 3/14).
Low power FM (LPFM): 814 (up from 774 in 3/14)
To see more quarterly statistics about the number of radio stations in the United States, take a look at all of our station count reports here.
