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FCC Clears the Way for New FM Allotment in Montana

To grant Huntley its first local radio service, the FCC needed to sort out an underutilized signal in Billings

There is now room for a new FM signal in Yellowstone County, Mont., near Billings, the state’s most populous city.

Matthew Wesolowski of SSR Communications petitioned the FCC in April to amend its table of allotments for a Class A signal on 104.7 from the community of Huntley.

Huntley is a census-designated place with a population of 442. It has its own unified school district and post office and is considered an eastern suburb of Billings. The allotment would mark the community’s first local radio service.

To make the allotment possible, cooperation was required from another broadcaster in Billings.

The Benedetti Media Group owns 105.1 KYSX(FM), a Class A signal. The previous licensee of the station was granted a CP in 2006 to upgrade the signal to a Class C1 and move to 104.5 FM; however, that CP expired in 2012 and KYSX never chose to upgrade.

Although KYSX continues to operate as a Class A on 105.1 under an implied STA, the 104.5 Class C1 reservation remained licensed and subject to minimum distance separation rules. With just 10 miles between the two, Huntley and Billings are much too close to allow an adjacent channel allotment on 104.7.

Over the summer, the commission issued an order to show cause to KYSX as to why its license should not be modified to permanently reflect its Class A facility. The Benedetti Media Group responded, indicating the station had no desire to pursue the Class C1 upgrade and channel move.

No other comments or counterproposals were issued regarding the original petition nor the order to show cause. As a result, the FCC moved forward with the allotment of a Class A signal on 104.7 from Huntley. The commission said the proposed site must be restricted to a location 8.6 miles north of the community.

It also modified the license of KYSX to reflect its operation as a 105.1 Class A.

In further comments to the commission, Wesolowski said SSR Communications intends to participate in a future auction for the new channel allotment in Huntley and commits to filing an application for a construction permit. He added that SSR “would construct such a station promptly.”

The window for filing for a construction permit on 104.7 is not yet open. The commission said this will be addressed in a future order.

(Read the FCC Media Bureau’s Report and Order.)

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Lead photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons/Tbennert, CC BY-SA 3.0

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