Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown University’s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

New FCC Regulations Could Expand WGTB Range

New FCC Regulation Could Expand WGTB Range

By: Keavney F. Klein Hoya Staff Writer

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Thursday, Jan. 28, 1999 that, if adopted, would license new 1000-watt and 100-watt low power FM (LPFM) radio stations. Georgetown’s WGTB (92.3 FM) could be licensed as a LPFM under this proposal.

The theory behind LPFM is that the low power stations would operate on the FM band at a maximum of 1000 watts of power (one-sixth the power of full power stations), thereby limiting the range of their broadcasts to a transmitting radius of less than ten miles.

Currently, WGTB operates using a Leaky Wire system, which allows the station to be broadcast only in dorms specifically wired for it.

According to WGTB General Manager Adrian Kohn (COL ’00), this type of low power broadcasting could be a viable option for the future of Georgetown radio.

The FCC foresees the establishment of locally oriented, largely non-commercial radio stations through which small urban communities or rural towns may easily receive news and public notices at a minimal cost.

In a joint statement issued Jan. 28, FCC Commissioners William E. Kennard and Gloria Tristani said, “The airwaves are a great natural resource, and the creation of a low power radio service could provide an effective way for more people to use this resource.”

The procedure for approving the FCC’s proposal is a three-part process. The first and second parts are a comment-response operation during which interested parties make recommendations and reply to the FCC’s proposal. In the third stage, the FCC will review the comments and replies and may either adopt a new rule or rules, issue a further NPRM, or decide not to adopt the proposal at all.

Kohn said that the LPFM will be an important option for small stations, such as WGTB, and for local potential broadcasters who do not have the means to support full power stations.

Kohn said he hopes that the university and the inhabitants of Georgetown will “file comments to the FCC in support of WGTB and what it can accomplish with a locally-oriented broadcast.” He added that the positive feedback is the only way that the FCC will go ahead with the LPFM project.

If the Commission votes to adopt the LPFM proposal, it will create two, possibly three, tiers of LPFM for which broadcasters may apply for license. The primary level stations would operate at a power of 1000 watts and would be forced to adhere to most of the laws governing the full power FM stations.

The secondary tier would operate at 100 watts and would be subject to fewer regulations, but would provide service only to those within a 3.5-mile radius, whereas the 1000-watt stations would reach up to 8.8 miles. The Commission is debating whether to establish a third tier that would operate on one to ten watts of power and would transmit to a limited range of one to two miles.

Kohn said that the second tier would be an ideal method of bringing WGTB to all of Georgetown.

According to a statement issued by the FCC, groups such as National Public Radio and the National Association of Broadcasters are lobbying against the FCC’s plan because of the increased competition between broadcasters and possible interference between the new low power stations and the full power stations already in place.

The NPRM indicates that new stations would be forced to observe minimum spacing requirements between stations and would not be fully protected from radio signal interference from existing full power stations. This means that signals from the smaller, less powerful stations could, in effect, be “bumped” by a stronger (higher wattage) signal.

In regard to the possible difficulties with the new system, Kennard and Tristani responded, “We will not undermine the technical integrity of the FM band. Our job is to be the guardian of the spectrum, not to degrade it.”

Kohn said that the proposal would be a way for Georgetown to communicate with the entire campus and hopefully much of the surrounding neighborhood. He said, “I realize how WGTB could positively affect the community. We want both the university and the community to play an integral role in bringing about this change.”

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