A coalition of more than two dozen AM radio operators has formally asked the FCC to reopen the AM Radio Revitalization FM translator modification rules, seeking flexibility to relocate translators and expand AM service through expanded FM simulcasting.
In a Petition for Rule Making filed December 22, Press Communications LLC, SSR Communications, Inc., Simmons Broadcasting, Inc., Kaspar Broadcasting Company, Inc., and 20 other broadcast licensees urged the FCC to largely reinstate the 2016 AM Radio Revitalization translator windows, with modifications designed to address current technical and market constraints facing AM broadcasters.
The petition requests that AM stations once again be permitted to acquire FM translators from long distances and relocate them for local use, rebroadcasting AM programming. Under the 2016 rules, AM stations could acquire translators within a 250-mile radius and move them to within 25 miles of the AM transmitter site. The petitioners propose expanding that acquisition radius to 500 miles and making the policy permanent rather than window-based.
According to the filing, the original AM Radio Revitalization effort enabled hundreds of AM stations to remain on the air by improving signal reliability, audio quality, and nighttime service through FM translators. The petition argues that those challenges have intensified since the expiration of the 2016 and 2017 filing windows, particularly for daytime-only and lower-power AM stations.
The broadcasters cite continued declines in AM listenership, limited receiver support, rising noise floors, and reduced nighttime coverage as factors constraining AM service. They argue that FM translators remain the most cost-effective way for AM stations to maintain audience reach and local service, especially in rural and small-market communities.
The petition also proposes limiting AM stations to no more than three FM translators each and prioritizing eligibility for Class D and Class C stations, followed by Class B stations with critical nighttime patterns. The filing states these limits are intended to prevent spectrum warehousing and preserve local translator availability.
The filing references industry data indicating that roughly one-third of AM stations still lack a companion FM translator. Petitioners argue that reopening the translator modification rules would extend the benefits of AM Radio Revitalization to stations that were unable to participate in earlier windows.
As part of the record, the petition includes a first-hand account from R & F Communications President & Owner Kenneth Forte, who describes the financial and operational impact of adding an FM translator to WDKN-AM in Dickson, TN.
Forte said, “My company purchased WDKN-AM in 2009 after it had gone dark in March of 2009 and brought it back on the air in July 2009. The previous owners struggled financially because of a lack of sales during the previous years. Upon purchasing the station, we did see our sales grow with just the AM signal; however, it was not until we purchased our FM [translator] signal from a station owner in Kentucky and moved it to Dickson that we began to experience significant financial growth in sales. We were able to double our revenue with the addition of the FM translator.”
He added, “The only challenge that we experienced in purchasing our translator was the length of time and distance required to move it from Kentucky to Tennessee. Our community has over 50k residents, and with the addition of our FM signal, we have greatly expanded our nighttime coverage and our ability to provide 24-hour coverage to our market. Our goal would be to add another FM translator to enhance the parts of our community where our signal does not reach, in addition, it would aid us in competing with the larger signal stations that can be heard in our market.”
The petition also references recent statements underscoring AM radio’s role in emergency communications and public safety, arguing that FM translators strengthen AM stations’ ability to serve audiences during outages and disasters while maintaining core AM service.
The FCC has not yet assigned a docket number or issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in response to the filing.
