Nexus Broadcast

The Low Power FM (LPFM) radio service, which was created by the Commission in January 2000. These stations are authorized for noncommercial educational broadcasting only (no commercial operation) and operate with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100 watts (0.1 kilowatts) or less, with maximum facilities of 100 watts ERP at 30 meters (100 feet) antenna height above average terrain (HAAT). The approximate service range of a 100 watt LPFM station is 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles radius). LPFM stations are not protected from interference that may be received from other classes of FM stations. A construction permit is required before a LPFM station can be constructed or operated.

LPFM stations are available to noncommercial educational entities and public safety and transportation organizations, but are not available to individuals or for commercial operations. Current broadcast licensees with interests in other media (broadcast or newspapers) are not eligible to obtain LPFM stations.

LPFM stations must protect authorized radio broadcast stations on the same channel or frequency (cochannel), as well as broadcast stations on first, second, or third-adjacent channels above or below the LPFM station's frequency. This protection is accomplished through the use of minimum distance separation requirements, which are set forth in 47 CFR 73.807

Items under this heading will be added or updated as needed. Check here for new or updated information.

January 5, 2011

Feb 28, 2007 3:45 PM
FCC Issues Another Rule-defying STA Washington - Feb 28, 2007 - On Jan. 31, 2007, the FCC issued special temporary authority to Our Three Sons Broadcasting, the licensee of WRHI-AM, licensed to Rock Hill, SC. The STA permits the AM station to rebroadcast it signal on FM translator W232AX.Click here for the full story

Feb 5, 2007 3:45 PM
FCC Issues STA to Pirate FM The Pahrump Valley Times reports that a pirate radio station in Goldfield and Tonopah, NV, has been granted special temporary authority to operate the station. In June 2006, the FCC shut the 100W pirate station down for operating without a license. The FCC responded to a filed complaint.
Click here for the full story.

Jan 31, 2007 1:45 PM
Special LPFM Window for Kilgore, Texas Kilgore, Texas .  A noncommercial station there was providing classical music, but the licensee proposed to assign the station to a group that was not likely to continue to offer classical programming.   263 of the good citizens of Kilgore – objected to the assignment application, pointing out that the loss of the classical music format would be contrary to the public interest.Click here for the full story

October 25, 2006
Thin Air Community Radio, Letter, DA 06-2106, released October 25, 2006. [ PDF | Word ]. Granted the minor modification for KYRS-LP, Spokane, WA.

June 28, 2006
LPFM Licensed Coverage Maps (as of June 28, 2006): [ Continental USA (2.8 MB) | Alaska | Hawaii | Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands ]. PDF files.

August 24, 2005
Creation of a Low Power Radio Service, Order, MM Docket 99-25, DA 05-2348, released August 24, 2005. [ PDF | Word ]. Reply comment date for the Second Order on Reconsideration and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is extended to September 21, 2005.

August 3, 2005
Creation of a Low Power Radio Service, Order, MB Docket 99-25, DA 05-2253, released August 3, 2005. [ PDF | Word ]. Comment dates extended to August 22, 2005; reply comment dates extended to September 6, 2005.

July 7, 2005
Federal Register Publishes Summary of LPFM Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in MM Docket 99-25.
Federal Register links: [ 70 FR 39182 | 70 FR 39217 ]
Comments are due by August 8, 2005, reply comments are due by August 22, 2005. Filing comments electronically through ECFS or ECFS Express is strongly encouraged.

March 17, 2005
Creation of a Low Power FM Radio Service, Second Order on Reconsideration and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, MM Docket 99-25, FCC 05-75, released March 17, 2005.
Document: [ PDF | Word ].
Copps: [ PDF | Word ].   Adelstein: [ PDF | Word ].
FCC to Consider Options for Expanding, Strengthening LPFM Service, News Release, March 17, 2005: [ PDF | Word ].

February 2, 2005
FCC Announces Agenda for Low Power FM Forum To Be Held February 8, 2005, DA 05-288, released February 2, 2005. [ PDF | Word ].
[ Video of this event, under date 2/8/2005 ]

March 6, 2003
License Renewal Applications for Radio Broadcast Stations -- All radio broadcast station licenses will expire between 2003 and 2006. Licensees must file a license renewal application (FCC Form 303-S) and the Broadcast Equal Employment Opportunity Program Statement (FCC Form 396) four months before the expiration date of the station's license. This page provides information about the license renewal process for radio broadcast stations

LPFM Broadcast Station Checklist (PDF file) can be used by LPFM licensees and permittees to verify compliance with the FCC's rules. This checklist was created by the FCC's Enforcement Bureau.

 Beware of LPFM Scams! Be cautious of offers for equipment or services that promise to get you an LPFM station or to sell you a Part 15 unlicensed device or transmitter as a means to starting a licensed LPFM service. We do not recommend the purchase of equipment until you receive a LPFM construction permit from the FCC.

October 1, 2003

Settlement Period Announced for Closed Groups of Pending Low Power FM Mutually Exclusive Applications Filed In Window IV, Public Notice, DA 03-3009, released October 1, 2003. [ PDF | Word ] Attachment: [ PDF | Excel ] Eligible mutually exclusive applicants (listed in the attachment) may file settlement agreements, minor change amendments, or channel change amendments to break conflicts between LPFM applications. Settlements or amendments must be filed no later than December 5, 2003. The LPFM Channel Finder is available to assist eligible applicants in finding potentially suitable channels.

NOTICE: We cannot advise as to when the next application filing window might be. Future window filing dates will be posted here, and announced by Public Notice.

Prior window dates

Number of Applications Per Applicant. In general, LPFM applicants may only apply for a single station. However, on reconsideration, the Commission clarified that government public safety and transportation organizations may apply for multiple LPFM stations for disseminating traffic, safety, and other information where the additional applications are not subject to competing applications. Similarly, where there are no conflicting applications, LPFM applications will be accepted for university student-run LPFM stations from universities holding LPFM licenses that are not student-run. Separate college campuses within a university system, or individual high schools under a single school board, could each individually apply for LPFM construction permits. ITFS (Instructional Television Fixed Service) stations run by universities and colleges that only transmit educational programming are not considered a "broadcast service" under the FCC ownership rules.

Zoning, land use, local building codes Applicants should, prior to submitting an application to the FCC, to consider how local zoning, building permits, or other land use restrictions might affect whether and how quickly an LPFM station can be constructed upon FCC grant of a construction permit. However, zoning, land use, or building permit information or approval is not needed to file FCC Form 318 with the Commission for an LPFM construction permit.

Conflicting LPFM Applications. Where one LPFM application does not meet the spacing requirements in 47 CFR 73.807 to another LPFM application, those applications are "mutually exclusive" in that both applications cannot be granted if interference is to be avoided. Mutually exclusive applications can occur with all the applications clustered together, or can take the form of a chain in which the end applications are linked through intermediate proposals.

These mutually exclusive situations will be resolved through the application of a point system. Points are awarded for (1) the organization's presence in the community for at least two years, (2) a commitment to broadcast at least 12 hours per day, and (3) a commitment to provide at least 8 hours of locally originated programming each day. The applicant with the most points will be awarded the construction permit.

If there is a tie after the points are tallied, the competing applicants will be encouraged to share a license. Those competing applicants resubmitting their applications together will be permitted to aggregate their points. For example, three applicants tied with three points each would be given a total of nine points upon resubmission. This aggregated group of applicants with nine points would be awarded the construction permit over a single applicant with three points.

If the tied applicants cannot agree to share a license, the FCC will divide equally an eight year non-renewable license term among the applicants. For example, if there are four tied applicants, each will receive a two year, non renewable license term. The first license term will be awarded to the first to complete construction of its facilities pursuant to its construction permit.

if there are more than eight tied applicants, the FCC will divide the eight year term among those applicants receiving a point for established community presence. If there are more than eight such applicants, the FCC will award one year, non-renewable license terms to the eight entities with the longest community presence.

For details on the point system, please see the Report and Order in MM Docket 99-25.

In general, the rule sections of interest to LPFM applicants, permittees, and licensees are contained in 47 CFR Part 73, Subpart L (the Section 73.800 series). Related rule sections in different subparts of Part 73 are listed in 47 CFR 73.801.

Rule sections pertaining to LPFM stations are listed at http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/bickel/amfmrule.html#LPFM. Up to 3 individual rule sections at a time may be retrieved. Please be aware that selecting more than three rule sections at a time may result in a "server error" message from the Government Printing Office's server.

All Comments, Pleadings, and Orders in MM Docket 99-25 may be retrieved through the Commission's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS).

To find documents containing a specific application file number, such as the Broadcast Actions and Broadcast Applications Public Notices, enter the right-hand side of the file number into the FCC's Word Search engine. For example, for file number BNPL-20000602AFI enter 20000602AFI and submit. NOTE: The results may not include PDF documents that contain this number.

August 24, 2005
Creation of a Low Power Radio Service, Order, MM Docket 99-25, DA 05-2348, released August 24, 2005. [ PDF | Word ]. Reply comment date for the Second Order on Reconsideration and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is extended to September 21, 2005.

August 3, 2005
Creation of a Low Power Radio Service, Order, MB Docket 99-25, DA 05-2253, released August 3, 2005. [ PDF | Word ]. Comment dates extended to August 22, 2005; reply comment dates extended to September 6, 2005.

July 5, 2005
Federal Register Publishes Summary of LPFM Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in MM Docket 99-25.
Federal Register links: [ 70 FR 39182 | 70 FR 39217 ]
Comments were due by August 8, 2005, reply comments were due by August 22, 2005. Filing comments electronically through ECFS or ECFS Express is strongly encouraged.

May 27, 2005
Commission Issues 18 LPFM Points Decisions.
MO&O orders were released May 27, 2005. Pineros Y Campinesos Unidos del Noroeste, FCC 05-97. Time Share. [ PDF | Word ]. Miracle International Christian Life Center, FCC 05-98, [ PDF | Word ]. The Villages Chanber of Commerce, Inc., FCC 05-99, [ PDF | Word ]. Citylight Ministry Center, FCC 05-100. Time Share. [ PDF | Word ]. New Life Worship Center, FCC 05-101, [ PDF | Word ]. St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, FCC 05-102, [ PDF | Word ]. Menomonie Christian Radio, FCC 05-103, [ PDF | Word ]. School District of La Crosse, FCC 05-104, [ PDF | Word ]. Greater Johnstown High School, FCC 05-105, [ PDF | Word ]. Greenfield Community Television, Inc., FCC 05-106. Equal, successive license terms. [ PDF | Word ]. Calvary Chapel of Brandon, Inc., FCC 05-107. Time Share. [ PDF | Word ]. Calvary Chapel of Gainesville, Inc., FCC 05-108. Time Share. [ PDF | Word ]. Everglades Community Association, FCC 05-109. Equal, successive license terms. [ PDF | Word ]. Drake University, FCC 05-110. Time Share. [ PDF | Word ]. Templo Elim, FCC 05-111, [ PDF | Word ]. Black Business Alliance, Inc., FCC 05-113. [ PDF | Word ]. Billings Seventh-Day Adventist Church, FCC 05-114, [ PDF | Word ]. GSRI Property Owners Association, FCC 05-115. Time Share. [ PDF | Word ].

March 17, 2005
Creation of a Low Power FM Radio Service, Second Order on Reconsideration and Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, MM Docket 99-25, FCC 05-75, released March 17, 2005.
Document: [ PDF | Word ].
Copps: [ PDF | Word ].   Adelstein: [ PDF | Word ].
FCC to Consider Options for Expanding, Strengthening LPFM Service, News Release, March 17, 2005: [ PDF | Word ].

February 2, 2005
FCC Announces Agenda for Low Power FM Forum To Be Held February 8, 2005, DA 05-288, released February 2, 2005. [ PDF | Word ].

January 24, 2005
 FCC Announces Low Power FM Forum To Be Held February 8, 2005, DA 05-165, released January 24, 2005. [ PDF | Word ].

February 19, 2004
Report to Congress on the Low Power FM Interference Testing Program - Pub.L. No. 106-553, released February 19, 2004. [ PDF | Word ]

January 28, 2004
Closed Groups of Pending Low Power FM Mutually Exclusive Applications Accepted for Filing, Public Notice, DA 04-123, released January 28, 2004. [ PDF | Word ] Attachment: [ PDF | Excel ] Mutually exclusive groups listed are from Windows I, II, and III.

November 7, 2003
Filing Locations for Settlement Agreements for Window IV Low Power FM Applications, DA 03-3570, released November 7, 2003. [ PDF | Word ]

October 1, 2003
Settlement Period Announced for Closed Groups of Pending Low Power FM Mutually Exclusive Applications Filed In Window IV, Public Notice, DA 03-3009, released October 1, 2003. [ PDF | Word ] Attachment: [ PDF | Excel ] Eligible mutually exclusive applicants (listed in the attachment) may file settlement agreements, minor change amendments, or channel change amendments to break conflicts between LPFM applications. Settlements or amendments must be filed no later than December 5, 2003. The LPFM Channel Finder is available to assist eligible applicants in finding potentially suitable channels.

August 28, 2003
Settlement Period Announced for Closed Groups of Pending Low Power FM Mutually Exclusive Applications Filed In Windows I, II, and III, Public Notice, DA 03-2744, released August 28, 2003. [ PDF | Word ] Attachment: [ PDF | Excel ] Eligible mutually exclusive applicants (listed in the attachment) may file settlement agreements, minor amendments, or channel change amendments to break conflicts between LPFM applications. Settlements or amendments must be filed no later than October 31, 2003. The LPFM Channel Finder has been reactivated to assist eligible applicants in finding potentially available channels.

July 11, 2003
Comment Sought on the Mitre Corporation's Technical Report, "Experimental Measurements of the Third-Adjacent Channel Impacts of Low Power FM Stations" [MM Docket 99-25], Public Notice, DA 03-2277, released July 11, 2003. [ PDF | Word ] [ Mitre Report Entry in ECFS (6/30/2003) ] Comments were originally due by September 12, 2003, but by Order, DA 03-2767, released August 29, 2003 [ PDF | Word ] the comment deadline was extended to October 14, 2003.

April 17, 2003
Notice of Acceptance of Low Power FM Broadcast Applications and Notification of Petition to Deny Deadline, Report No. LPFM-S-8, released April 17, 2003. [ PDF | Word ] Petitions to deny the listed applications and minor amendments must be filed no later than May 19, 2003.

March 17, 2003
Low Power FM New Station Applications Dismissed for Failure to Comply with Third-adjacent Channel Protection Requirements, Public Notice, DA 03-794, released March 17. 2003. [ PDF | Word ]

February 13, 2003
Notice of Acceptance of Low Power FM Broadcast Applications and Notification of Petition to Deny Deadline, Report No. LPFM-S-7, released February 13, 2003. [ PDF | Word ] Petitions to deny the listed applications and minor amendments must be filed no later than March 17, 2003.

October 16, 2002
Notice of Acceptance of Low Power FM Broadcast Applications and Notification of Petition to Deny Deadline, Report No. LPFM-S-6, released October 16, 2002. [ PDF | Word | Text ] Petitions to deny the listed applications must be filed no later than November 15, 2002. List consists of applications mainly from Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Washington. If an application from NE, NM, NC, PA, or WA did not appear on this list, the application either (1) conflicts with another timely filed application, or (2) has some serious defect.

September 19, 2002
Notice Regarding FCC Certification of EAS Decoder .
Low Power FM Stations Must Install Certified EAS Decoders Within One Year of Publication of this Public Notice in Federal Register
Cable Statems Serving Fewer Than 5,000 Subscribers May Comply with October 1, 2002 Deadline to Install EAS Equipment by Installing Certified Decoder
Public Notice, DA 02-2312, 67 FR 65321 , released September 19, 2002 [ PDF | Word | Text ]. The deadline date for LPFM stations to install EAS decoders is October 24, 2003.

September 9, 2002
Media Bureau to Open Low Power FM Major Amendment Window from October 28 through November 1, 2002 for Certain Pending New Station Applications, Public Notice, DA 02-2178, released September 9, 2002 [ PDF | Word | Text ].

September 6, 2002
Notice of Acceptance of Low Power FM Broadcast Applications and Notification of Petition to Deny Deadline, Report No. LPFM-S-5, released September 6, 2002. [ PDF | Word | Text ] Petitions to deny the listed applications must be filed no later than October 7, 2002. List consists of applications mainly from Alabama, Arkansas, Guam, Kentucky, Massachusetts, and Montana. If an application from AL, AR, GU, KY, MA, or MT did not appear on this list, the application either (1) conflicts with another timely filed application, or (2) has some serious defect.

May 23, 2002
Notice of Acceptance of Low Power FM Broadcast Applications and Notification of Petition to Deny Deadline, Report No. LPFM-S-4, released May 23, 2002. [ PDF | Word | Text ] Petitions to deny the listed applications must be filed no later than June 24, 2002. List consists of applications mainly from Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, U.S. Virgin Islands, and West Virginia. If an application from OR, TN, TX, VT, VI, or WV did not appear on this list, the application either (1) conflicts with another timely filed application, or (2) has some serious defect.

March 11, 2002
Notice of Acceptance of Low Power FM Broadcast Applications and Notifications of Petition to Deny Deadline, Public Notice, Report No. LPFM-S-3, released March 11, 2002. [ PDF | Word | Text ].

February 8, 2002
Greg Ruggerio v. FCC, Case No. 00-1100 (D.C. Cir. Feb. 8, 2002) [ HTML ]. Provision in LPFM rules implementing statutory provision disqualifying from eligibility any party who ever engaged in unlicensed broadcasting is declared unconstitutional.

August 16, 2001
Notice of Acceptance of Low Power FM Broadcast Applications and Notifications of Petitions to Deny Deadline, Report No. LPFM-S-2, released August 16, 2001. MS Word 97 only.

July 10, 2001
July 10, 2001 Broadcast Applications Public Notice, Report No.25023, contains a list of LPFM applications received in the June 2000 application filing window. Use your browser's search feature to look for "BNPL".

April 2001
Information About Your LPFM Permit (April 2001) -- Information sheet that is sent with granted LPFM construction permits. MS Word 97 only.

April 10, 2001
Low Power FM Filing Window (FCC to Accept Window 4 and Window 5 Low Power FM Applications from June 11 through June 15, 2001). Window opened for proposed facilities in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Guam, Iowa, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Vermont, Washington, and West Virginia., Public Notice, DA 01-904, released April 10, 2001.

April 2, 2001
Creation of a Low Power Radio Service, Second Report and Order, FCC 01-100, released April 2, 2001. [ PDF | Word | Text ].

April 2, 2001
FCC Adopts Revised LPFM Order; Codifies Third Adjacent Channel Interference Protection Standards, News Release, released April 2, 2001.

December 21, 2000
"Notice of Acceptance of Low Power FM Broadcast Applications and Notifications of Petitions to Deny Deadline", Report No. LPFM-S-1, released December 21, 2000.

December 15, 2000
Low Power FM Filing Window -- FCC to accept Low Power FM Applications January 16 through January 22, 2001 for American Samoa, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Missouri, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, Public Notice, DA 00-2831, released December 15, 2000.

September 28, 2000
Creation of Low Power Radio Service, Memorandum Opinion and Order on Reconsideration, MM Docket 99-25, FCC 00-349, released September 28, 2000. MS Word 97, Adobe PDF.

September 22, 2000
FCC Adopts Reconsideration Order For Low Power FM Radio: Affirms Provisions of Original Order; Institutes Protection for Radio Reading Services and Interference Complaint Procedure, News Release, September 22, 2000.

September 15, 2000
"FCC Receives 473 Low Power FM Applications in Second Filing Window", News Release, released September 15, 2000.

September 15, 2000
Broadcast Applications Public Notice Containing List of LPFM Applications Received, in the second filing window, released September 15, 2000.

July 28, 2000
Low Power FM Filing Window [August 28 - September 1, 2000], Public Notice, DA 00-1697, released July 28, 2000. [ PDF | Word | Text ].

June 21, 2000
Broadcast Actions Public Notice Containing List of LPFM Applications Received, released June 21, 2000.

June 5, 2000
Low Power FM Application Filing Window Deadline Extended [Through June 8, 2000], Public Notice, DA 00-1263, released June 5, 2000 (MS Word 97 only). Extension provided due to difficulties with electronic filing. (Note: Do not expect any similar extension for later LPFM windows.)

May 26, 2000
Low Power FM Filing Window Instructions, Public Notice, DA 00-1175, released May 26, 2000. [ PDF | Word | Text ].

April 28, 2000
Low Power FM Filing Window - FCC To Accept Low Power FM Applications May 30 through June 5, 2000 for Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Mariana Islands, Maryland, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and Utah, Public Notice, DA 00-914, released April 28, 2000. [ PDF | Word | Text ].

January 27, 2000
Report and Order in MM Docket 99-25, FCC 00-19, released January 27, 2000. [ PDF | Word | Text ]. This document contains an explanation of the LPFM application process and related considerations. Related items (MS Word 97 documents):

Appendix A (Low Power FM Service Rules)

Appendix B

Statements:  [ Kennard | Ness | Furchtgott-Roth | Powell | Tristani ]

March 29, 2000

"Low Power FM Radio Service: Allegations and Facts". Factsheet, March 29, 2000.

HELPFUL DOCUMENTS & WEB SITES:

Pointers on Points -  a more detailed view of the Point System & 307b - Michael Couzens - atty.
Facts to Help You Get Started - Full Throttle! Biggest Opportunity For Full Power Radio Stations in Years!
The New Filing Window -  An explanation of the new filing process
Public Radio Capital -  Assistance with funding your new NCE station