Radio Markets Re-Defined

The commission also altered the way it defines radio markets and will switch to a geography-based system using Arbitron Radio Metros to determine markets instead of the old contour overlap method.
In non-rated markets, a modified contour overlap system would be used while the agency conducts a short-term rulemaking to define unrated markets. Any station whose transmitter site is more than 92 miles “from the perimeter of the mutual overlap area” would be excluded from the market.
The commission hopes this will eliminate some of the distortions in market size that occurred under the previous rules when a large signal contour that is part of a proposed combo overlapped the contours of distant radio stations and therefore, those distant stations were counted in that market.