Policies To Promote Rural Radio Service and To Streamline Allotment and Assignment Procedures

Résumé

In this document, the Commission adopted a Second Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SFNPRM), in which it announced that it wished to develop a more comprehensive record regarding measures to assist Federally recognized Native American Tribes and Alaska Native Villages (Tribes) in obtaining commercial FM radio station authorizations. Specifically, the Commission sought comment on the use of threshold qualifications for Tribes applying for commercial FM radio channel allotments that were added to the Table of Allotments using the Tribal Priority adopted by the Commission in the First Report and Order (First R&O) in this proceeding. The Commission also sought further comment on whether a Tribal Bidding Credit would accomplish the goal of increasing Tribal ownership of commercial stations broadcasting to Tribal Lands, and sought comment on the financial and other barriers facing Tribes wishing to enter the commercial broadcast arena.