Follow the rules? Who me? No!

[NECRAT]

So in replying to the post in the AM forum, I got to thinking.

Why do so many commercial broadcast stations, ones owned by larger corporations, continue to run in clear violation of their licenses?
With the ability for self inspection, alternate inspection, and GPS devices, it amazes me how many radio station sites I visit where the coordinates
are way (by more than 5-10 second degrees in some cases) off, antenna heights not correct, antenna models not matching what is on the license, etc.

Are these stations seeing the lack of enforcement from the FCC and just chancing it? Are they being cheap and not trying to correct their license?

Two examples I can give are, one station, who vacated one tower to move to another tower, DOWN THE ROAD, annnnd UP THE HILL! They are actually operating from a "new"er site, which is higher in elevation, and .25km down the road!

Another FM/TV site the tower coordinates for every single tower on the mountain are off... if you look at the tower coordinates on their FCC licenses, the towers would be in this order...

1 2 3 4

5

Instead they appear in this order

1 5

3 2

5


All over the place. Maybe I am getting grumpy, but I am starting to really lose faith in the enforcement bureau. (Not that the lack of shutting down Pirates has done that all ready.) What DO they enforce anyways?

[Deep Thought]

The EB is so severely under-funded and under-staffed that they rarely investigate anything unless a complaint is filed. Location errors are probably at the bottom of the list even though it would garner a $10,000 fine. And it's not just broadcast...everyone in the business knows that Sirius/XM still is operating lots of terrestrial repeaters in the wrong locations and at much higher than licensed power but nothing is done. Why? Clout.

The big three have no excuse for transmitter locations being incorrectly specified on their licenses. They have the personnel available to do the simple corrective applications and really should be leading the way when it comes to being good stewards of the air. That they aren't makes it easier for the wireless companies to continue chipping away at broadcast spectrum and further dilutes our credibility. Of course, these are the same companies who have essentially ruined the business model by abandoning local origination, pissing away the main advantage local broadcast stations have: Localism and relevance to the market.

Yeah, it's one of my pet peeves too...

[rockmanac]

What DO they enforce anyways?

1. That your public file has all the correct documents and it's location is publicized.
2. That you've done your EAS logs
3. That you've not spread any smut that might harm our children
4. That you've not run any "program length commercials" in kids programming

[NECRAT]

What DO they enforce anyways?

1. That your public file has all the....

It was a sarcastic question, Adam. However with those items, and tower issues, those really are the only items these days.