Re: LPFM Rules

["R.L. Caron" <k4gp@peganet.com>]

<<  Without getting into the general subject of property takings, I don't
think it applies here. No one is taking their property--i.e., transmitters,
etc. They do not have a legal ownership interest in the license. >>

If any group or party has a claim of property takings, I'd say it's the
listeners to the stations that will be affected by interference from LPFMs.
The real "owners" of the spectrum. The agency they have put in charge of
their spectrum, the FCC, has apparently determined that (in the instance of
a Class B) listeners who live in the 10,000 square kilometers between the 70
dBu and 60 dBu contours will be better served by a blizzard of 10 and 100
watt stations than to the "big" stations down the road. Maybe so, maybe not.
If true, the Class Bs will have to learn how to survive appealing to the
people who live within their 70 dBu curve, an area of 3335 square kilos and
a reduction of 75% over the "old" rule. In many markets, that 21 mile
"Principal Community Contour" won't even cover the ARB metro completely.

I suspect this controversy isn't going to go away anytime soon. Unless the
FCC does another major 180 as they did on the religious broadcasting issue
last week. Depends a lot on how many broadcasters sit on their thumbs ....
as many did during the comment period.