1400 The Touch Harrisburg is moving

[theengineer]

Heard a rumor the FCC is investigating this use of this translator and it may find it illegal.  Wouldn't that be a hoot if the Commission pulled the plug on this translator.  That may teach them to flaunt the rules.    It's not nice to fool the Commission.

OK, I'll bite.  How did you learn that the FCC is investigating?   I hear lots of rumors .. very few turn out to be true.  How about a few facts - if you really have any.

[tube man]

I heard from a consultant friend of mine who is tight with the FM branch that they are "discussing" the matter...and they are not very happy about it...I guess we'll see

[theengineer]

I heard from a consultant friend of mine who is tight with the FM branch that they are "discussing" the matter...and they are not very happy about it...I guess we'll see

Right.  I'm sure that another translator for Four Rivers / Family Radio / Hope church of Marlton is more in keeping with your vision of the commission's translator policy.    It's funny that we don't hear a massive outcry of "foul" every time one of these lights up a translator in the commercial band, repeating some station 350 miles away.   I know they are allowed, but the only reason for the non-com religious translators to exist is to extract a few more donations from senior citizens.   

The people who keep crying about this are probably more upset they did not come up with the idea themselves rather being outraged by Cumulus' supposed flaunting of the rules.

[double-d-sharp]

Earlier this weekend I noticed that Cumulus was still using the WTCY legal ID on the 95.3 translator and WNNK-HD2, even though 1400 is no longer a simulcast.

[DStroyer]

Okay, so, I just looked at the most recent ratings... Where did The Touch's (fairly respectable) numbers go?  Assuming 95.3 is hitting a decent percentage (if not all) of 1400's former listeners, are they now just added in with WNNK's numbers, since the programming originates on a WNNK sub-channel?

Or, are the number published separately, and those of us "outside the loop" aren't privy to them?

[radioguybroadcasting]

I heard from a consultant friend of mine who is tight with the FM branch that they are "discussing" the matter...and they are not very happy about it...I guess we'll see

it is perfectly legal for a translator to rebroadcast an HD2 or 3 Channel. Why? The translators license to cover specifies what station it will rebroadcast.. and an HD2 or HD3 channel is considered as much the station as the analog channel is.

it's being done in other places.. ithaca and asheville to be precise, and no ones being investigated there.

[tube man]

Did the translator rules change while I was sleeping?  Last time I checked, they NOT for use within the station's primary, grade A signal area.  When did it change that a translator can be used within the station's city grade signal?

[radioguybroadcasting]

Did the translator rules change while I was sleeping?  Last time I checked, they NOT for use within the station's primary, grade A signal area.  When did it change that a translator can be used within the station's city grade signal?

Uh, that's NEVER been a rule.

A Commercial station can't own a translator outside it's 60dbu contour.

It CAN own one INSIDE the 60dbu contour, as that is usually for fill-in issues due to terrain.

[OhioMediaWatch]

This whole thing fascinates me.

The impression I get is that the FCC is OK with this, and at very least has given verbal approval to stations that wish to do this.

Think about this - do you think a big company like Cumulus would do this if they thought they'd get in trouble with the FCC?

[EnoughJohnMayer]

do you think a big company like Cumulus would do this if they thought they'd get in trouble with the FCC?

Absolutely...if there was no rule on the books, they'd risk it and see what happens. I said this before: by doing so, they could potentially apply for grandfathered status once the FCC puts the kibosh on new set ups like this.