Common Frequency urged the FCC to protect low-power...

Common Frequency urged the FCC to protect low-power FM station and translator opportunities as it moves toward opening an FM translator application window for AM stations. “No filing window for translators should be enacted until the LPFM 90-day settlement window period for LPFM applicants occurs,” said the organization, which advocates for community and college radio broadcasting, in comments in docket 13-249 (http://bit.ly/1bLprry). If mutually exclusive groups of LPFM applicants aren’t dealt with prior to creating additional translator mutually exclusive groups, “it would be an insurmountable engineering pile-up of pending applications,” it said. The commission should expedite the 250-watt upgrade opportunity before opening another FM translator auction, Common Frequency said. “If an AM translator filing auction is enacted prior to [an] LP-250 upgrade, current LPFM permittees and licensees would be boxed in and unable to upgrade.” Common Frequency also recommended the creation of an incentive program for AM licensees choosing to donate their licenses to local nonprofit groups and educational institutions, it said.