Call Letters

[Scott Fybush]

If another operator wanted to use the "KFRC" base callsign on AM (or to have a KFRC-LP on FM, or a KFRC-TV), they would first need the permission of CBS, since it's already using the KFRC base callsign on FM. CBS is allowed to ask for compensation for the use of the calls elsewhere, if it so desires.

(In practice, I imagine CBS would probably say no - whatever minimal compensation they might get from someone wanting to use "KFRC" on AM in, say, Frisco, Colorado would be outweighed by the value of being easily able to shift those calls back to being parked on 1550 if they needed to change calls on 106.9 for some reason.)

[DavidEduardo]

For those interested in the meaning of call letters, there is no better site than:

http://nelson.oldradio.com/origins.html

[MarioMania]

For example

If CBS puts KCBS-FM on 106.9 and Put's new calls on 93.1 (not the KFRC calls)

Can someone new get the KFRC calls?? let's just say a new AM in the Bay Area??

[Scott Fybush]

If CBS doesn't park the KFRC calls somewhere else (say, on a small station in another market), then yes, someone else could use "KFRC."

But CBS tends to be very good about parking calls that could be valuable later on.

[knoxbob]

How about the WNBC calls. There is no radio station using them, only TV. But if you do a call search on the FCC web site it says there not available.

[KeithE4]

How about the WNBC calls. There is no radio station using them, only TV. But if you do a call search on the FCC web site it says there not available.

WNBC is Channel 4 in New York.  The -TV suffix hasn't been used in years.

[Scott Fybush]

How about the WNBC calls. There is no radio station using them, only TV. But if you do a call search on the FCC web site it says there not available.

And that's correct. Because channel 4 in New York is "WNBC," the callsign "WNBC" is not available to any radio station without the permission of NBC. If an FM station could get that permission, it would have to be WNBC-FM. If an AM station could get that permission, it would have to come along with a call change on channel 4 from "WNBC" back to "WNBC-TV," to make "WNBC" available for the AM station.

In practice, NBC is unlikely to grant that permission.

[MarioMania]

Is there a site that lets you see what calls are not taken by TV, FM or AM??

[Scott Fybush]

There is no master list. You can go to the FCC's Callsign Reservation System (don't have the link handy, but google it) and punch in a call and it will tell you if it's available or not.

[Bongwater]

There is no master list. You can go to the FCC's Callsign Reservation System (don't have the link handy, but google it) and punch in a call and it will tell you if it's available or not.

http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/callsign/mainch.pl