Martin: FCC to Act Soon on IBOC

The FCC will soon act on the final digital authorization for terrestrial radio and the final rules will include provisions for AM nighttime digital broadcasting and multicasting. That’s according to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin.
In his first press conference since becoming chairman a year ago, he answered a question from Radio World Online about the status and details of the final IBOC rules.
“I anticipate the commission will act fairly soon on the digital radio side,” said Martin. “The digital transition provides consumer benefits, both in terms of quality of service, particularly in the AM bands but in the potential for multiplexing on all the different bands.”
While AM nighttime presents more challenges, such as limits on the ability to receive distant AM signals with skywave signals, he said “I think the commission will end up adopting it and we do need to develop a standard that allows for the conversion, not just of FM, and not just of AM during the day, but to all digital radio signals soon.”