The FCC has given the go-ahead for stations to apply for the use of “geotargeting” on U.S. FM boosters.
Though the rules were approved in November, their effective date had not yet been published in the Federal Register. That now has happened, so as of today, stations must use FCC Form 2100, Schedule 336 to notify the commission that they’re making limited use of boosters to originate content on a permanent basis.
Afterward, there is a 15-day period prior to the commencement of program origination on the boosters where the Media Bureau can respond to any complaints from interested parties.
The commission’s licensing process for a station to obtain a booster in the first place does not change with the announcement.
Geotargeting rules revisited
Randy Stine covered those program-originating rules in detail, but to summarize:
- FM stations can air unique content on synchronized boosters for no more than three minutes per hour.
- There is a 25-booster cap on the number of such boosters a single station may operate.
- Program-originating boosters must receive and broadcast all emergency alerts in the same manner as their primary station. Primary stations adopting program-originating boosters must notify their State Emergency Communications Committees at least 30 days prior to employing a program-originating booster or implementing status changes.
- Geotargeting boosters will also be subject to the same political advertising rules as their existing boosters.
Though the commission did not endorse one particular vendor, in practice, the rules regulate the use of GeoBroadcast Solutions’ ZoneCasting system. 93.5 KADD(FM) in Longdale, Nev., with five licensed boosters, including in St. George, Utah, is an early adopter of the technology.
[Related: “Bouvard: Advertiser Interest in Geotargeting Grows”]
Stations in ten markets, including Seattle, have received licenses for content origination boosters, a GBS spokesperson told Radio World.
Self-interference worries
Several commenters in the FCC’s two report and orders on program-originating boosters expressed concern about self-interference.
The NAB urged the FCC to adopt a uniform synchronization standard between a booster and origin station.
But the commission chose not to adopt one single standard, citing each circumstance would be unique to the particular station, including economically.
REC Networks commented that FM boosters currently only need to provide protection on first-adjacent channels. It argued that boosters have an equal status to LPFM and FM translator stations, and that boosters should have a co-channel protection requirement, as well. In cases where an FM station has moved locations or upgraded, REC said it could create an issue where a booster’s interfering contour could overlap into the service contour of the existing station.
REC also expressed concern about program-originating boosters being used by FM stations that are designated monitoring assignments for EAS.
As we stand now, though, there is a clear pathway for stations seeking to originate programming on their boosters, in hopes of unlocking a new local revenue source.
(Read the Media Bureau’s public notice on the booster origination effective date.)
