[BC] Simulcast call letters

[Mike McCarthy]

Main studio waiver is not required and the main studio has nothing to do 
with the combination ID's.

We have a 4 station simulcast (3 FM and 1 AM) quambo which we ID all four 
stations in a common ID.  Each has a compulsory main studio,  3 of which 
share the same  main studio facility.  The fourth has has a main studio in 
the CoL.

The way the rule is written, content origination can be ANYWHERE (passing 
through a USA facility) so long as the compulsory main studio and EAS is 
compliant. And as long as you give the specific frequency with each station 
being ID'd at the legal ID for multiple commonly fed stations, your're 
OK.  That would include -FM if that's in the license.

This is on the advise of our counsel. If in doubt, consult yours.

That said, if Clear Channel wanted to buy the XM studios and originate 
content for 100 stations there, they could legally do so as long as the 
legal ID, EAS, and main studio requirements are met.  With T-1's capable of 
back feeding voice grade circuits for EAS, it's badda-bing.

Metro Networks regional consolidation is the tip of that next approaching 
iceberg.  The only thing to be left at some local stations will be the 
receptionist, sales people and a local server connected to the corporate 
WAN.  Production, traffic, content generation, EAS, will be handled miles 
away in a larger market if not on the other side of the country.

MM

At 04:29 PM 3/1/2009 -0800, Harold Hallikainen wrote

> >> I remain unconvinced that the rules permit AM/FM simulcast IDs, common
> >> as
> > they are.
> >
> > I guess it could be argued that in any simulcast operation, one is the
> > satellite of the other.
>
> >
> > However, there are big stations owned by big companies in big markets that
> > don't seem to understand the station ID rules for a single station, as
> > simple as they are.  But I've only seen one or two actual fines for
> > station
> > ID violations.  Janet Jackson's nipple is far more important.
> >
> > LF
>
>It would be nice if the rules defined terms such as satellite operation. I
>cannot find a definition in the rules, but conversations with FCC staff
>generally lead me to believe it is a situation where a station has a main
>studio location waiver (it is a satellite of the station where the main
>studio is). I believe several NCE stations operate as satellite stations.
>
>For violations and other stuff on 73.1201, see
>http://www.hallikainen.org/FCC/FccRules/CiteFind/0731201.htm . I'm in the
>middle of updating this page. It should be updated as of today later in
>the week.
>
>Harold