Low-power broadcasting
Low-power broadcasting is broadcasting by a broadcast station at a low transmitter power output to a smaller service area than "full power" stations within the same region. It is often distinguished from "micropower broadcasting" and broadcast translators. LPAM, LPFM and LPTV are in various levels of use across the world, varying widely based on the laws and their enforcement.
Canada
Radio communications in Canada are regulated by the Radio Communications and Broadcasting Regulatory Branch, a branch of Industry Canada, in conjunction with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Interested parties must apply for both a certificate from Industry Canada and a license from CRTC in order to operate a radio station. Industry Canada manages the technicalities of spectrum space and technological requirements whereas content regulation is conducted more so by CRTC.LPAM stations are authorized to operate with less than 100 watts of power.
LPFM is broken up into two classes in Canada, Low and Very Low. The transmitters therefore range from 1 to 50 watts, as opposed to 1 to 100 watts in the U.S., 500 licenses have been issued. These transmitters are generally only allowed in remote areas.
Stations in the low-power class are subject to the same CRTC licensing requirements, and will generally follow the same call sign format, as full-power stations. Stations in the very low-power class formerly had to have CRTC licenses as well, although a series of CRTC regulation changes in the early 2000s exempted most such stations from licensing; a station in this class will usually not have a conventional call sign, but will instead be identified in a naming format consisting of a four-digit number preceded by the letters CH for a television station or VF for a radio station.
The regulation of spectrum space is strict in Canada, as well having restrictions on second and third adjacent channels, along with other protections for AM and FM commercial radio. In addition, because there have been a few cases that found that FM frequencies have caused interference to the aeronautical navigation and communications spectrum, pirate radio regulation has remained very strict as well. However, the two regulating bodies do have certain exemptions. For example, low-power announcement transmitters that meet the requirement of Broadcasting Equipment Technical Standards 1, Limited Duration Special Events Distribution Undertakings, Temporary Resource Development Distribution Undertakings, and Public Emergency Radio Undertakings are a few instances, which according to certain criteria, may be exempt from certificate/license requirements.
A television station is considered very low power if its power does not exceed 2 watts for a VHF station, or 10 watts for a UHF station. Low-power analog & digital television stations are authorized to operate with up to 50 watts in VHF, or 500 watts for a UHF station.
New Zealand
In New Zealand, residents are allowed a broadcast license at a maximum of 1 watt EIRP in the FM guardbands from 87.6 to 88.3 and from 106.7 to 107.7 MHz under a General User Radio License, which is issued by Radio Spectrum Management, managed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Prior to June 2010, the lower band was located between 88.1 and 88.8 and a maximum of 500 mW EIRP allowed. Broadcasters on these frequencies are required to cease operations if they interfere with other, licensed broadcasters and have no protection from interference from other licensed or unlicensed broadcasters. Contact details must also be broadcast every hour.Further restrictions are in place for the protection of aeronautical services. Use of the following frequencies is not permitted within certain boundaries approaching Auckland and Wellington airports: 107.5 to 107.7, and 107.0 to 107.3 MHz, respectively.
There exists a 25 km broadcast translator rule: one licensee may operate two transmitters anywhere, but a third transmitter must be at least 25 km away from at least one of the first two transmitters.
There are efforts on self-regulation of the broadcasters themselves. The NZRSM Radio Inspectors do, however, regularly monitor and make random unannounced visits to broadcasters, and will impose fines for violations of the regulations. New broadcasters are also subject to an initial compulsory inspection.
United Kingdom
Temporary low-power stations are allowed at times via a Restricted Service Licence. Since 2001, long-term LPFM licenses have been available in remote areas of the country. These are currently used for many establishments, including military bases, universities and hospitals with fixed boundaries. On the 18th of June 2021, Ofcom began a trial of expanding the number of LPFM stations in the United Kingdom by issuing licenses to broadcast to many more hospitals and military bases. This was done in order to see if such broadcasts could be feasibly achieved in events where they would be needed without interfering with other broadcasts.United States
FM radio
Low Power FM is a non-commercial educational broadcast radio service created by the Federal Communications Commission in the United States in 2000. LPFM licenses, which are limited to a maximum effective radiated power of 100 watts, may be issued to non-commercial educational entities, as well as public safety and transportation organizations. Individuals and holders of other types of broadcast licenses are not eligible. In addition, LPFM stations are not protected from interference from other classes of FM stations.LPFM classes
- Class L1 is to 100 watts effective radiated power.
- Class L2 is at least 1 and up to 10 watts ERP.
Legislation
Origins of LPFM
In January 2000, the Federal Communications Commission established Low Power FM as a new designated class of radio station. These stations were allowed to operate at 1–10 or 50–100 watts of power, compared to the minimum requirement for commercial stations at 100 watts.. Originally, it was supported by activists and groups associated with American progressivism; music artists ; religious leaders/churches ; and educators.The original purpose of LPFM was to serve as an alternative to "radio homogenization", described in 2001 in the J & MC Quarterly, as "... Necessary to offset the growing consolidation of station ownership in the wake of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which removed caps on radio ownership, as well as the decline of locally produced radio programming." The main opposition to LPFMs came from the National Association of Broadcasters, which opposed the act on grounds to "maintain spectrum integrity" for commercial broadcasting, according to NAB President Edward O. Fritts.
Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act of 2000
Pressure from the National Association of Broadcasters urged Congress to slip the Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act of 2000 into a general spending bill then moving through Congress. President Bill Clinton signed the bill in December 2000. The bill passed by Congress was meant to tighten standards for LPFM stations, making it harder for them to be approved, to protect full-power FM stations through certain provisions:- The FCC has the ability and jurisdiction to license LPFM stations.
- Third adjacent channel interference protections require LPFM stations to be separated by at least 0.6 MHz from all other stations, to prevent signal interference.
- Applicants who have engaged in the unlicensed operation of any station cannot receive LPFM licenses.
- The FCC agreed to commission studies on the interference by, and economic impact of, LPFM on full-power stations.
Local Community Radio Act of 2005
The Local Community Radio Act of 2005 was introduced by Senators John McCain, Maria Cantwell and Patrick Leahy. After the FCC complied with the provisions of the Radio Broadcasting Act of 2000 by commissioning to test if there was significant interference from LPFM stations on the full-power stations, the study showed that the interference of LPFM is minimal and would not have a significant effect on other stations. According to Sen. Leahy, "This bill will open up the airwaves to truly local broadcasting while protecting full-power broadcasters from unreasonable interference and preserving important services such as reading services for the blind."Local Community Radio Act of 2007
Sponsored in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen Mike Doyle and Lee Terry and in the United States Senate by Senators Maria Cantwell and John McCain, the Local Community Radio Act of 2007 never came to a vote. The House bill, H.R. 2802, was referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet on June 21, 2007. Since the bill was not passed in FY 2007, the bill was removed from the docket as Never Passed.Local Community Radio Act of 2009
This bill was an update of the Local Community Radio Act of 2007. It would have required the FCC to alter current rules by removing the minimum frequency separation between low-power FM stations and third-adjacent channel stations. Previously, there was a minimum frequency separation; however the FCC found that LPFM stations did not cause any interference on third-adjacent channel stations, thus eliminating the need for such a requirement.The Local Community Radio Act of 2009 also would have required that the FCC keep the rules that offer interference protection to third-adjacent channels that offer a radio reading service. This protection will ensure that such channels are not subject to possible interference by LPFM stations.
The final part of the bill required that when giving out licenses to FM stations, the FCC must make sure that these licenses are also available to LPFM stations and that licensing decisions are made with regard to local community needs. The bill had unanimous bipartisan support from FCC leadership. It was passed by the House and referred to the Senate.