FCC Ends Curb on Simultaneous Programs on AM, FM Stations

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday abandoned the rule that required AM and FM radio stations owned by the same company to run different programming 75% of the time.

The rule was imposed 22 years ago to help FM grow by forcing owners to run FM stations as separate operations rather than adjuncts of AM stations. The commission believed that this would foster the sale of FM radios and bring about more efficient use of the scarce radio spectrum.

AM Stations Need Help

FM has prospered to a point where AM stations are the ones that now need help to stay competitive.

“FM radio service is now fully competitive,” the FCC said when it proposed the change last November. “In fact, we believe that for many AM-FM combinations it is now the case that the viability of the AM station depends on its association with a stronger FM facility.”

When the rule was adopted, there were about 400 FM stations on the air. Today, there are more than 5,100.

The non-duplication rule was in effect in communities with populations of more than 25,000.

Night Broadcasting Urged

The commission said it hoped the rule change would mean that more AM stations would stay on at night when atmospheric conditions allow their signals to carry farther. This would give people more listening options.

“It seems preferable to allow stations to duplicate programming rather than have one of the stations go off the air and deny service to some portion of the potential audience,” the commission said.

At a recent conference of radio broadcasters in Washington, a majority of those present said they would not run the same programming on AM and FM, even if the rules were dropped, because of competitive pressures. The FCC said it thought the number of stations deciding to duplicate programming would be small.

FM Has Big Lead

FM stations now have a 72% to 28% listening audience advantage over AM stations nationwide, according to comments on file at the FCC, even though the number of AM stations surpasses the number of FM stations.

The National Assn. of Broadcasters had argued for lifting of the rule on constitutional grounds, saying that broadcasters, not the government, should determine programming.