[BC] Re: Another "Strange"...(MORE)

[Mark Humphrey]

On 2/28/07, Dan Kelley <djkelley at frontier.net> wrote:
> Years ago...while working in another market...I did apply
> for fill-in translators for our FMs, got them and put them on
> the air although in reality they weren't really needed.
> Right or wrong, part of it was a land-grab..

Others have done the same thing -- in fact, I know of one fill-in
translator near Syracuse granted to transmit from the very same tower
as the station it "rebroadcasts".  This is clearly a land-grab, but
apparently legal.

Regarding WRHI's situation, it conveniently worked out that their AM
site is north of Rock Hill, while the city limits have expanded to the
south, probably through annexation.  I haven't found the STA
application, but from the letter, it appears the licensee argued that
the station could no longer serve the entire "Community of License"
without adding coverage from the FM translator.

If another AM broadcaster were in a similar situation, but the
population growth happened to be in a different municipality (but
within the same urbanized area), would the FCC still allow such a
waiver?

The legal definition of COL is increasingly irrelevant to the public,
yet the Commission continues to consider it of overwhelming importance
in matters like this.  However, when minimum bids are set in FM
auctions, they'll base them on total market popultion, not just the
COL.  I find some FCC policies very contradictory.

Mark