FM Owner Wants Local Origination on Translators

We’ve heard the arguments about whether satellite radio should be allowed to carry localized programming on their translators and repeaters. But what about your terrestrial radio station?
Randal Miller wants FM translators to be able to originate programming. He’s the president of the Miller Media Group out of Taylorville, Ill., which owns seven stations and a CP for a translator in Taylorville.
“Under existing FCC rules, Miller has to re-broadcast one of the stations located inside the FM translator’s primary coverage area,” the company said in a statement. “Miller has garnered support from over two dozen community and business leaders, in asking the commission to allow FM translators such as Miller’s, to locally originate programming.”
He argues that the FCC allowed such programming for TV in 1982. “In the Commission’s ruling at that time, it said that low-power TV service would likely provide program service responsive to public demand without the necessity of regulatory intervention by the commission. Miller is asking the FCC to apply that same rationale to FM translators.”
He said it would allow translators to cover local events like city council meetings, more high school sports contests, church services and different varieties of music, “thereby enhancing the FCC’s interest in promoting locally originated programming.”
He says translators that originate programming would have to have a main studio within 25 miles of the translator site.