During a regulatory panel here in Las Vegas at NAB 2014, Pai said he supports opening up an FM translator application window just for AM owners “no later than 2015.”
Supporters believe this is one type of action the agency could accomplish quickly to give struggling AM owners some relief.
Longer-term though, AM has some “difficult issues” to be decided, according to Pai.
Discussing radio in a general sense, he believes the industry’s future looks bright. “Radio has an important role to play in the national culture going forward.”
Fellow Commissioner Mignon Clyburn said growing up she wanted to be a radio personality, telling attendees this was a message “for anybody out there when my term expires.”
She emphasized, “We care about all platforms” and noted that the AM revitalization initiative was circulated when she was interim agency chair.
