The Clock Is Winding Down for Channel 6 Backdoor to FM
Regular readers may recall that I’ve been doggedly pursuing the minor phenomenon of analog TV channel 6 broadcasters exploiting their audio signal’s proximity to the FM dial to become radio broadcasters. At present the only analog TV stations capable of exploiting this backdoor are low-power TV stations which were not required to go digital this […]
Public radio pioneer seeks broadband stimulus money
I’m happy to see at least one stimulus application for community radio. As telecom nerds everywhere know, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes a big chunk of economic stimulus money for broadband development projects—about $7.2 billion all told. That dough is earmarked for projects to roll out broadband to “un-” and “underserved” areas, and the […]
FCC Opens another Window for Aspiring Educational Broadcasters
There’s some excellent news from the FCC today. They’ve just announced that there will be another window of opportunity for non-commercial, educational broadcasters to obtain an FM frequency. Between Friday, December 11 and Friday, December 18, 2009; aspiring stations will be able to apply for open FM frequencies. Take a look at some of the […]
FCC Fines College Radio Slackers
The FCC just announced today that they’d levied $7,000 fines against several college radio stations. The crime wasn’t anything salacious like playing songs with bad words. In fact, it’s much more embarrassing as it was a “failure to timely file renewal application,” which in turn led to “unauthorized operation” of said stations. This is a […]
LPFM Expansion Moves Forward, but Is It Too Late?
Today the House Commerce Committee unanimously passed the Local Radio Act by voice vote, opening up the gates to send the bill for a vote by the full House. This bipartisan action is the best hope the restoration of low-power FM has seen since its wings were clipped back in 2000. When the FCC created […]
Broadcasters: use FM subcarriers for smart grids
An interesting filing from the National Association of Broadcasters in response to the Federal Communications Commissions’ call for feedback on ways that broadband can help smart grids. The NAB says let FM radio stations lend their subcarrier channels to the cause: “Smart Grid devices, implanted in home appliances, thermostats, and plug-in hybrid vehicles, could receive […]
A Latent Radio Hidden in Your iPhone?
Hot on the heels of the new FM-enabled iPod Nano comes the rumor that there’s actually an FM radio already hidden inside current iPhones, and that Apple is about to turn it on. Apparently the radio circuitry is currently used as part of the Nike+ that connects up certain sneakers to report exercise data back […]
Chicago Public Radio's Fundraising Antics
Fundraiser season continues at non-profit radio stations all over the country. Princeton’s station WPRB (apparently the oldest FM college radio station in the country, founded in 1940) ends their week-long fundraiser tomorrow. My own station KFJC (turning 50 next week) is pitching for cash until the station reaches its goal. And, Chicago Public Radio station […]
One step closer for Low Power FM
Those strange political bedfellows Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Lee Terry (R-NE) have got their Low Power FM bill out of committee and one step closer to passage on the floor of the House of Representatives.
Radio Awards – Pro or Con?
I was starting to feel like such a buzz kill today as I wrote yet another post complaining about the voting process for mtvU’s College Radio Woodie Award. As I mentioned in my piece for Radio Survivor, this contest has had a number of rounds; so it’s been easy for me to scrutinize various issues […]