FCC chair says agency will act to help AM radio

Mignon Clyburn

Federal Communications Commission acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn told attendees at the opening of the Radio Show in Orlando last week that the commission will open a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking about AM radio, Leslie Stimson reports for Radio World. If the rule is adopted the FCC would be "opening a one-time application window for AM owners to file for an FM translator to fill in their service area, and relaxing AM daytime rules and modifying rules for antennas and directional antennas as well as relaxing nighttime community coverage standards."

The FCC also proposed to eliminate the so-called "ratchet" rule, which Clyburn said was supposed to reduce nighttime interference but really has had the opposite effect, and the agency would allow wider implementation of modulation-dependent carrier level, an energy saving method, Stimson reports. Ajit Pai, the lone Republican on the FCC, who has been crusading to save AM for some time, thanked Clyburn for taking the first step in responding to the voices AM broadcasters and listeners from across the country who have asked the FCC to take action. (Read more) A full transcript of Clyburn's speech can be viewed by clicking here.