FM Booster Rules To Take Effect January 13

The Federal Communications Commission has officially adopted new rules allowing FM broadcasters to use booster signals for program content, up to three minutes each hour. These changes are set to take effect on January 13, 2024, following their publication in the Federal Register.

According to the Media Bureau, the initial phase of these new regulations will focus on ensuring compliance with the Emergency Alert System, service parameters, licensing requirements, and political programming guidelines. However, other changes are still under review by the Office of Management and Budget, including new and modified information collection requirements. These additional updates will take effect at a later date once finalized and published.

In a unanimous vote last November, the Commission transitioned the use of FM boosters for originating programming from an experimental status to a permanent one. This move could see an increase in stations utilizing the technology developed by GeoBroadcast Solutions, which has sparked some controversy.

The National Association of Broadcasters and various radio organizations have expressed strong opposition to this technology, citing concerns over potential interference with other FM stations and the implication for advertisers to "red line" their buys. This could negatively impact many minority-owned stations that have been foremost advocates for ZoneCasting.

To address these interference concerns, the FCC has included additional safeguards in the final rules, establishing procedures for predicting and mitigating potential issues. The order (FCC 24-121) limits the number of program-originating boosters a single station can operate to 25 and includes notification procedures to keep other broadcasters and emergency alert officials informed about the FM's programming on geo-targeted signals, thereby protecting the Emergency Alert System.