The FCC’s Media Bureau continues to work on the remaining MX groups of applicants competing for a single frequency. Most of the nine construction permits for new low-power FM stations issued in the last week were from such groups. The total number of LPFM construction permits issued from the 2013 application window now stands at […]
I have a soft spot in my heart for Art Bell. As a former overnight DJ and grad student who kept relatively nocturnal hours for a good portion of the 90s, I admired Bell’s unique ability to engage guests and callers in topics that ranged from scientifically plausible (the theory that there have been multiple […]
There is already a pile of lawsuits challenging the FCC’s Open Internet Order waiting for attention from appeals courts. On Wednesday all of the major telecom and cable industry groups made a volley to jumpstart this process. The U.S. Telecom Association, the National Cable and Telecommunications Association, the CTIA, AT&T, the American Cable Association, CenturyLink […]
I received some constructive feedback on my post arguing that internet radio should retire MP3 streaming. Twitter user Mark Mollineaux pointed out that browser-compatibility is a consideration: @RadioSurvivor MP3 has by far the best cross-browser compatibility. I'd prefer an open standard like ogg, but many browser's won't play it– — Mark Mollineaux (@bufordsharkley) May 11, […]
I have been listening to computer-based digital music for nearly two decades now. This includes streaming internet radio as well as music files like MP3s. It’s amazing to recall my first efforts to play then-new MP2 and MP3 format files I downloaded, very slowly, over my 56kbps dial-up connection, around 1996 or ’97. In fact, […]
This year the National Federation for Community Broadcasters is holding regional summits instead of one big national conference. The registration price is lower, and travel should be easier and less expensive for most people. Therefore they’re great opportunities for community broadcasters, especially new LPFM stations, to meet likeminded radio-makers and take advantage of what the […]
At the top of this week’s digital radio news is an analog broadcast station. In a deal that took nearly two years to complete, on Monday the FCC removed the first barrier to Pandora buying Rapid City, SD FM station, KXMZ. The Commission granted a waiver of foreign ownership rules which otherwise prohibit a company […]
In the days since the disastrous earthquake in Nepal amateur radio operators have been lending critical communications assistance, especially in places where power, telephone, wireless and internet service has been interrupted. Nepal has only 99 licensed amateur radio operators, which is why hams from other countries have traveled to the country to help. The country’s […]
The Pew Research Center released its annual State of the News Media report for 2015. One fact struck me that I haven’t seen otherwise commented on elsewhere: only 30 Spanish-language radio stations in the US air news and talk programming, out of more than 500 Spanish-language format stations total. That’s seems really low to me. […]
The FCC approved twelve low-power FM construction permits this last week, bringing the grand total to 1839 new low-power FM stations authorized in the 2013 application window. All but one of the approved groups was in an MX group of applicants competing for a single frequency. Six of these groups were able to move out […]
