FCC approves nighttime IBOC for AM

[Sid Schweiger]

>>The FCC voted to allow nighttime IBOC for AM (so much for DX-ing?) and
also to allow
"HD multicasting without prior approval from the commission". Does the
latter mean
they are no longer "experimental" (HD) and ads can now be run on
them?<<

Yes, that's what it means.  However, remember that there is an informal
agreement among the station groups running multicast streams that there
will be no commercials on the secondaries for the first two years of
operation.

Also, the FCC decision does NOT take place immediately.  The rules have
to be written and published in the Federal Register, and they would take
effect sometime after that (30 or 45 days seems to be the rule these
days).  Further, allowing nighttime HD on AM is going to require
coordination with Canada and Mexico, and is also going to involve the
FCC's Enforcement Bureau setting up a mechanism to deal with
interference complaints.



Sid Schweiger
IT Manager, Entercom New England
WAAF - WEEI AM/FM - WKAF - WMKK - WRKO - WVEI AM/FM
20 Guest St / 3d Floor
Boston MA  02135-2040
Phone: 617-779-5369
Fax: 617-779-5379
E-Mail: sid@wrko.com