Changes to licensing rules for non-commercial & LPFM stations considered

At the FCC’s upcoming Report & Order meeting this Dec. 12, the commission will examine changes to rules for non-commercial/educational licenses for FM & TV broadcasters as well as LPFM’s.  Chairman Ajit Pai noted in a recent blog that numerous applicants, licensees & commenters made this apparent during the recent NCE & LPFM filing windows.  He acknowledged the commission’s recognition there were lessons to be learned from those procedures. The FCC will propose tweaking the licensing process for noncommercial educational full-service FM and full-power television (NCE) and low-power FM (LPFM) broadcast stations.  Chairman Pai noted: “The proposed changes are designed to improve our comparative selection and licensing procedures, expedite the initiation of new service to the public, eliminate unnecessary applicant burdens, and reduce the number of appeals of our NCE comparative licensing decisions.”