The recently announced August noncommercial FM translator window is drawing interest across many broadcast circles, including college and university stations.
College Broadcasters Inc., an advocate for student-led media, believes the window is a golden opportunity for educational institutions in some areas to expand their signal reach.
CBI’s issue? The window is happening over summer break, when many colleges and universities are nearly dormant.
In March, when the commission sought comment on an NCE FM translator window, it said the window was tentatively scheduled for “late 2026.”
Then, when it established restrictions for the translator window after mulling over those comments, it did not explicitly mention a timeline. That was on May 29.
Finally, on June 17 — less than two months before the opening of the window — the commission announced the Aug. 11–25 filing dates.
CBI submitted formal comments to the Federal Communications Commission within 24 hours of the public notice being issued. It is urging the FCC to reschedule the window to November or December, citing historical precedent.
Every prior NCE and LPFM filing window, CBI said, has been held in October, November, December or February — periods when academic institutions are typically in session.
Campuses often operate with much smaller staffs in the summer months, CBI posted on its LinkedIn page. Administrators with the authority to sign applications are often on reduced schedules.
The organization also cited the need to retain consulting engineers and legal counsel, which often requires approval from university legal and governing offices.
“That process takes months,” CBI warned.
A summertime filing window, CBI argued, goes against the reasons the NCE reserved band was created: to protect educational and community broadcasters from being outcompeted by well-resourced operators.
“This timeline seems to largely benefit religious broadcasters, always looking and ready to expand their reach,” CBI wrote.
CBI invited student-led stations to send their own letters to the commission, including Chairman Brendan Carr and the Media Bureau staff.
Radio World has also offered the opportunity to the Media Bureau for comment.
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