U.S. broadcast stations total more than 30,000.
That’s according to the FCC, which counted 30,643 stations as of March 31. The commission released the figures this week.
Full-power radio stations comprise 14,728 licenses, up from 14,619 in Q4 of 2010. There are a few more FMs: 6,533 commercial FMs (up from 6,526 three months earlier) and 3,417 non-commercial FMs (up from 3,311). That’s an increase of more than 100 NCE stations since the prior quarter.
The AM station count is down; 4,778 AMs in Q1 of this year compared to 4,782 AMs in the prior quarter.
Low-power FMs, not included in the 14,728 number above, remained constant, with 859.
A total of 6,141 FM translators and boosters are licensed, 10 more than in Q4 of last year.
— Leslie Stimson
