Posted by Scott Fybush on October 14, 2009 at 11:46:57:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Four Applicants For 1700 AM in Rockland County posted by Steve Green on October 14, 2009 at 09:56:45:
The FCC's hands are tied here by Congress, which mandated spectrum auctions back in 1997.
It may not be "fair," but it's the rule, and it comes from a level higher up than the Commission.
LPFMs are handled differently because they're non-commercial licenses and therefore not auctionable. For them, and for full-power non-commercial licenses, the FCC employs a "points" system that takes into account factors that include the provision of first or second noncommercial service to new population, overall coverage, and local ownership/program origination.