Geotargeted FM NPRM Circulated
A proposal on changing FM booster rules to let radio stations geotarget content was circulated to the eighth floor, said FCC officials and a release from Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. The draft NPRM hews closely to an April petition from GeoBroadcast Solutions (see 2006040024) and doesn’t focus on an additional proposal from a group of broadcasters seeking to be allowed to originate content on FM translators, an FCC official told us. Starks has repeatedly praised the proposal and did so again Wednesday: “I am pleased to support this innovative proposal, which could offer a potential lifeline to small, women, and minority broadcasters that are struggling to retain their listening audiences and earn advertising revenue at a time when consumers have multiple options.”
Zoned broadcast coverage, called ZoneCasting by GBS, uses several synchronized FM boosters to transmit targeted signals that are picked up by FM receivers as being a single signal. The petition asked the FCC to change language requiring FM boosters to broadcast the same content as their parent stations to allow substantially similar broadcasts to the main stream. Stations that use the tech would broadcast a single stream of content most of the time but shift certain coverage zones to targeted content for short periods multiple times a day -- mostly localized ads, advocates for the tech said. The localized content could also be local news, local sports or specialized emergency alerts, the company said.
Starks' statement "is encouraging news about our proposal to support the introduction of geo-targeting to the broadcast radio industry and help it remain competitive in the market,” said Bill Hieatt, GBS chief technical officer, in a release. GBS repeatedly compared its tech to TV's ATSC 3.0. “Radio is the only medium that lacks the ability to geo-target content. This rule change would put radio on par with television, which now has that ability,” said the company.
Broadcasters for Limited Program Origination pushing for rule changes to let FM translators originate content pitched their proposal as an extension of this one. FM booster and translator licensees "should both be allowed to choose their own originated content categories,” said the group. GBS opposed the broadcaster group, arguing that the additional request creates confusion about zoned broadcast coverage. FCC and industry officials said the NPRM doesn’t appear to include the program origination proposal. The group’s attorney, Womble Bond’s John Garziglia, didn’t comment.
The Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council and 20 other diversity groups lobbied the FCC in support of the proposal, said Starks. The groups argue that because minority-owned stations are smaller and on the outskirts of population centers, they will receive an outsized benefit from the rule change. MMTC and the National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters didn’t comment.
The industry’s largest radio groups -- Beasley, Cumulus, iHeart and Entercom -- asked the FCC to require more testing before authorizing the technology. NAB also advised caution, but said it supported the proposal.