Microbroadcasting is the process of broadcasting a message to a relatively small audience. This is not to be confused with low-power broadcasting .
61-715: KEVN-LD (channel 7) is a low-power television station in Rapid City, South Dakota , United States, affiliated with the Fox network. It is owned by Gray Television alongside ABC affiliate KOTA-TV (channel 3) and MeTV affiliate KHME (channel 23). The stations share studios on Skyline Drive in Rapid City, where KEVN-LD's transmitter is also located. KEVN-LD is also carried on a subchannel of KOTA-TV, as well as on KOTA's full-power satellites . KHSD-TV (channel 11.2) in Lead, South Dakota , serves
122-802: A broadcast license (free-of-charge) at a maximum of 1 watt EIRP in the FM guardbands from 87.6 to 88.3 and from 106.7 to 107.7 MHz under a General User Radio License (GURL), which is issued by Radio Spectrum Management , managed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment . Prior to June 2010, the lower band was located between 88.1 and 88.8 and a maximum of 500 mW EIRP allowed. Broadcasters on these frequencies are required to cease operations if they interfere with other, licensed broadcasters and have no protection from interference from other licensed or unlicensed broadcasters. Contact details must also be broadcast every hour. Further restrictions are in place for
183-473: A few instances, which according to certain criteria, may be exempt from certificate/license requirements. A television station is considered very low power if its power does not exceed 2 watts for a VHF station, or 10 watts for a UHF station. Low-power analog & digital television stations are authorized to operate with up to 50 watts in VHF, or 500 watts for a UHF station. In New Zealand residents are allowed
244-651: A few miles of their transmitters. Other LPAM operations are known as Travelers' Information Stations (TIS), sometimes also called highway advisory radio (HAR). Authorized under FCC Part 90.242, these are stations licensed to local transportation departments or other governmental or quasi-governmental agencies to provide bulletins to motorists regarding traffic conditions. These are often near highways and airports, and occasionally other tourism attractions such as national parks . Some are used by chemical and nuclear facilities for emergency evacuation information systems, others by public safety entities for mobile operations. Music
305-508: A lack of support from the other FCC commissioners. Though many low-power television stations are either unaffiliated, or broadcast programming from small networks meant for their use, some LPTV stations are affiliated with minor broadcast networks like The CW or MyNetworkTV . Examples include in Boston, Massachusetts with NBC on WBTS-CD ; Youngstown, Ohio , where a pair of LPTV stations based at WYFX-LD broadcast Fox programming, along with
366-439: A million dollars, and could only afforded by businesses and the very wealthy. An antenna and transmitter can cost between $ 2,000 and $ 5,000. Unlike the former FM class D license, an LPFM station has no priority over broadcast translators in the allocation of available spectrum. This is problematic insofar as the regulations for broadcast translators exempts non-commercial stations from the requirement that translators be within
427-428: A one-time filing opportunity for existing LPTV stations to become Class A stations. The designation was only available to LPTV stations that were producing two hours per week of local programming. Class A stations had to maintain a production studio within their Grade B contour, and comply with many of the requirements placed on full-service television stations. This allowed them to obtain protected channel status. One of
488-519: A secondary ABC affiliation, switched to CBS in 1970, and was denied license renewal in 1971; KRSD shut down several months before KEVN began operations. KEVN switched to NBC in 1984 and Fox in 1996. The original KEVN was also seen on a satellite station in Lead, KIVV-TV (channel 5), which operated on the license now used by KHSD-TV; virtual channel 5 is presently used by KQME, a satellite of MeTV affiliate KHME (channel 23). On September 14, 2015, Gray bought
549-447: A single station (retransmitted by many others) ending up on several hundred different translators. One station cannot apply for hundreds or thousands of translators nationwide, using automated means to generate license applications for all available channels, unless all of their applications are exclusively on the non-commercial part of the broadcast band (88–91.9 MHz). ( 47 CFR 74.1231(b) ) As with any new service that shares
610-1124: Is a non-commercial educational broadcast radio service created by the Federal Communications Commission in the United States in 2000. LPFM licenses, which are limited to a maximum effective radiated power (ERP) of 100 watts, may be issued to non-commercial educational entities, as well as public safety and transportation organizations. Individuals and holders of other types of broadcast licenses are not eligible. In addition, LPFM stations are not protected from interference from other classes of FM stations. In addition, Class D educational licenses exist for stations of 10 watts transmitter power output (TPO) or less, regardless of ERP. These stations are all grandfathered operations, as no new licenses of this type have been issued since 1978, except in Alaska. They are not considered to be LPFM stations, although they operate noncommercially and have similar coverage areas to Class L2 stations. In January 2000,
671-463: Is a potential that the sidebands of two LPFM stations would overlap causing interference. As of 2008 , imposing a second adjacent channel restriction would impact less than 10 LPFM stations. Microbroadcasting Microbroadcasting, in radio terms, is the use of low-power transmitters (often Title 47 CFR Part 15 in the United States, or its equivalent elsewhere) to broadcast a radio signal over
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#1733085232100732-417: Is also used by schools and businesses to serve just the immediate campus of the operation; well-known uses include audio tour guide systems, airport information services, and drive-in theaters , which often provide movie audio over the driver's car audio system. It has also been adopted as an advertising technique, particularly by car dealers and real estate agents. This broadcasting -related article
793-471: Is broken up into two classes in Canada, Low (50 watts) and Very Low (10 watts). The transmitters therefore range from 1 to 50 watts, as opposed to 1 to 100 watts in the U.S. As of 2000 , 500 licenses (very low and low-power FM) have been issued. These transmitters are generally only allowed in remote areas. Stations in the low-power class are subject to the same CRTC licensing requirements, and will generally follow
854-575: Is competition for spectrum in some locations between the LPFM service and the FM translator service. In May 2018, several groups supporting community-based low-power FM stations filed objections with the FCC, citing the Local Community Radio Act , accusing it of favoring existing station coverage expansion with translator licenses - "a spectrum grab" - over new LPFM spectrum licenses. The acronym 'LPAM'
915-401: Is considered a secondary service by the FCC, which means the licensee is not guaranteed protection from interference or displacement. An LPTV station must accept harmful interference from full-service television stations and may not cause harmful interference to any full-service television station (the FCC defines interference levels deemed to be "harmful"). The problem with potential displacement
976-410: Is minimal and would not have a significant effect on other stations. According to Sen. Leahy, "This bill will open up the airwaves to truly local broadcasting while protecting full-power broadcasters from unreasonable interference and preserving important services such as reading services for the blind." Sponsored in the U.S. House of Representatives by Congressmen Mike Doyle and Lee Terry and in
1037-404: Is not a legal term in the United States and is only used as an acronym. Unlike LPFM stations, which have legal and regulatory status, FCC rules do not define "LPAM" nor issue licenses for low-power AM transmission. LPAM is only an acronym applied to licensed low-power AM operations and to Part 15 transmissions as well. Any use of the term "low power AM" in FCC licensing for United States stations
1098-695: Is not allowed on TIS/HAR stations, and they are restricted to only 3 kHz wide, " low-fidelity audio ", compared to the 10 kHz audio for standard AM broadcasters and 15 kHz audio permitted on FM stations. (Modern AM stations in the US actually restrict their audio from 5 kHz down to 2.5 kHz - roughly the same as to TIS stations. TIS transmissions are normally authorized for 10 watts or less, although some higher authorizations exist, primarily in locations where emergency evacuation may become necessary. The 60–watt TIS stations on 1640 and 1680 kHz at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport have
1159-440: Is not very concrete presently), pirate radio regulation has remained very strict as well. However, the two regulating bodies do have certain exemptions. For example, low-power announcement transmitters that meet the requirement of Broadcasting Equipment Technical Standards 1, Limited Duration Special Events Distribution Undertakings, Temporary Resource Development Distribution Undertakings, and Public Emergency Radio Undertakings are
1220-423: Is now KOTA-TV), the station produced an hour-long morning newscast at 7 a.m. and half-hour newscasts at noon, 5:30 p.m., and 10 p.m.; on weekends, KEVN aired only its late newscast. In 1998, the station moved the late newscast to 9 p.m., making it the first Rapid City station to produce a prime time newscast; Around the same time, the morning and midday newscasts were discontinued. By 2001, KEVN expanded
1281-473: Is the requirement for higher-power licensed AM stations to reduce their transmit power at nighttime – post-sunset / pre-sunrise – as a condition of their high-power broadcast authorization. There is a category class D for AM broadcast licenses, which limited stations to daytime-only transmission before regulations changed in the 1980s. Many, but not all, class D stations have been granted authority to broadcast at night with enough power to be heard within
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#17330852321001342-510: The Americas , where most stations originate their own programming. Stations that do not originate their own programming are designated as translators (-TX). The Community Broadcasters Act of 1998 directed the FCC to create a classification of LPTV licenses called Class A (-CA) and Class A Digital (-CD). Digital low-power and Class-A television stations have an ERP limit of 3,000 watts (3 kW) for VHF, and 15 kilowatts for UHF. The LPTV service
1403-763: The Black Hills proper; it can also be seen over the air in Rapid City. KSGW-TV (channel 12.2) in Sheridan, Wyoming , serves northern and northeast Wyoming . KHSD-TV's transmitter is located on Terry Peak near Spearfish, South Dakota , while KSGW-TV's transmitter is on Bosin Rock. Until 2016, the KEVN call sign, Fox affiliation, and virtual channel 7 assignment were used on the broadcast license presently associated with KOTA-TV. KEVN-TV had launched in 1976 as an ABC affiliate, replacing KRSD-TV, which had signed on in 1958 as an NBC affiliate with
1464-509: The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Interested parties must apply for both a certificate from Industry Canada and a license from CRTC in order to operate a radio station. Industry Canada manages the technicalities of spectrum space and technological requirements whereas content regulation is conducted more so by CRTC. LPAM stations are authorized to operate with less than 100 watts of power. LPFM
1525-463: The Federal Communications Commission established Low Power FM (LPFM) as a new designated class of radio station. These stations were allowed to operate at 1–10 or 50–100 watts of power, compared to the minimum requirement for commercial stations at 100 watts. ( 47 CFR 73.211 ). Originally, it was supported by activists and groups associated with American progressivism ; music artists (such as Bonnie Raitt ); religious leaders/churches (such as
1586-574: The United Church of Christ ); and educators (for example, American Library Association , the Communication Workers of America labor union , the National League of Cities ). The original purpose of LPFM was to serve as an alternative to " radio homogenization ", described in 2001 in the J & MC Quarterly , as "... Necessary to offset the growing consolidation of station ownership in
1647-718: The United States Senate by Senators Maria Cantwell and John McCain, the Local Community Radio Act of 2007 never came to a vote. The House bill, H.R. 2802, was referred to the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet on June 21, 2007. Since the bill was not passed in FY 2007, the bill was removed from the docket as Never Passed . This bill was an update of the Local Community Radio Act of 2007. It would have required
1708-513: The digital subchannel of the co-owned CBS affiliate, WKBN-TV ; or in the Lima, Ohio area, whose low-power stations are affiliates of major networks, such as CBS and ABC . On July 15, 2011, the FCC issued an order to low-power broadcasters that effectively required all remaining television transmitters to vacate channels 52 to 69 by December 31, 2011. Originally, all low power analog TV stations were required to shut off by September 1, 2015, however,
1769-406: The FCC keep the rules that offer interference protection to third-adjacent channels that offer a radio reading service (the reading of newspapers, books or magazines for those who are blind or hearing impaired). This protection will ensure that such channels are not subject to possible interference by LPFM stations. The final part of the bill required that when giving out licenses to FM stations,
1830-603: The FCC must make sure that these licenses are also available to LPFM stations and that licensing decisions are made with regard to local community needs. The bill had unanimous bipartisan support from FCC leadership. It was passed by the House and referred to the Senate. The Local Community Radio Act of 2010 (based upon the legislation originally introduced in 2005) was signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 4, 2011, as Pub. L. 111–371 (text) (PDF) , after passage in
1891-426: The FCC to alter current rules by removing the minimum frequency separation between low-power FM stations and third-adjacent channel stations. Previously, there was a minimum frequency separation; however the FCC found that LPFM stations did not cause any interference on third-adjacent channel stations, thus eliminating the need for such a requirement. The Local Community Radio Act of 2009 also would have required that
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1952-443: The FCC was to modify its rules to eliminate third-adjacent minimum frequency separation requirements between low-power FM stations; and full-service FM stations, FM translator stations, and FM booster stations. A New York Times article focusing on a LPFM station, KOCZ-LP , highlights a number of key arguments favoring low-powered broadcasting: Former President Bill Clinton has also become an advocate of LPFM for "giving voice to
2013-411: The FM spectrum, when translators are added to an area, they can reduce or eliminate the availability of channels both for new LPFM applicants and for relocation of any existing LPFM stations displaced by full-service broadcasters. Unlike an LPFM station, a translator is not required to (and legally not authorized to) originate any local content except as permitted by 47 CFR 74.1231 . Thus there
2074-711: The Fox logomark replacing that of ABC's, while keeping the black circle the ABC logo usually sits upon for the simplicity of branding both stations. The station's signal is multiplexed : KEVN-LD broadcasts 9 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours of locally produced newscasts each week (with 1 + 1 ⁄ 2 hours each weekday and one hour each on Saturdays and Sundays). The station carries a 6 p.m. newscast, but does not produce any newscasts during morning or midday timeslots. It rebroadcasts its hour-long 9 p.m. news program at 6 a.m. on weekday mornings. Early in KEVN's Fox affiliation (on what
2135-415: The House on December 17, 2010, and the U.S. Senate on December 18, 2010. In a statement after the bill became law, Federal Communications Commission chairman Julius Genachowski said, "Low power FM stations are small, but they make a giant contribution to local community programming. This important law eliminates the unnecessary restrictions that kept these local stations off the air in cities and towns across
2196-484: The Notice, the FCC inquires as how to balance incentives for broadcasters to switch to digital systems with incumbents of new entrance opportunities, stating that they “seek analyses of the minimum power levels that would preserve service within protected service areas in an all-digital environment, and alternatively, the levels that would not result in significant disruptions to current listening patterns.” The DAB system that
2257-553: The Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act of 2000 into a general spending bill then moving through Congress. President Bill Clinton signed the bill in December 2000. The bill passed by Congress ( H.R.567 ) was meant to tighten standards for LPFM stations, making it harder for them to be approved, to protect full-power FM stations through certain provisions: This act shifted policy making from the FCC to Congress, which
2318-591: The country. These are currently used for many establishments, including military bases , universities and hospitals with fixed boundaries. On the 18th of June 2021, Ofcom (Office of Communications) began a trial of expanding the number of LPFM stations in the United Kingdom by issuing licenses to broadcast to many more hospitals and military bases. This was done in order to see if such broadcasts could be feasibly achieved in events where they would be needed without interfering with other broadcasts. Low Power FM (LPFM)
2379-600: The country." The Act states that the Federal Communications Commission, when licensing new FM translator stations, FM booster stations, and low-power FM stations, should ensure that licenses are available to FM translator stations, FM booster stations, and low-power FM stations; such decisions are made based on the needs of the local community; and FM translator stations, FM booster stations, and low-power FM stations remain equal in status and secondary to existing and modified full-service FM stations. In general,
2440-462: The coverage area of the original station that they rebroadcast. However, this provision only affects translators in the non-commercial portion of the band. Stations in the commercial part of the spectrum must be fed over the air unless they are within the actual service area of the primary station. Since the translator window of 2003 was only open for commercial channels, the use of directly-fed via satellite FM translators, commonly called "Satellators",
2501-629: The deadline for low-power television stations and translators was postponed due to a spectrum auction that took place. While Class-A television stations were required to sign off on September 1, 2015, the last remaining low-powered analog television stations had signed off by July 13, 2021. Unlike AM and FM, unlicensed use of television bands is prohibited for broadcasting. The amateur television channels do allow for some very limited non-entertainment transmissions however, with some repeaters airing NASA TV during Space Shuttle missions when they are not in local use. The low-power television industry
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2562-502: The digital transition." In February 2006, the FCC released its Notices of Proposed Rules for Digital Radio. The Commission reaffirms its commitment to provide broadcasters with the opportunity to take advantage of digital audio broadcasting (DAB) technology, proposed criteria for evaluating models and systems, such as the In-band on-channel (IBOC) system, and inquired on the needs for a mandatory DAB transmission standard. In section 39 of
2623-500: The first two transmitters. There are efforts on self-regulation of the broadcasters themselves. The NZRSM Radio Inspectors do, however, regularly monitor and make random unannounced visits to broadcasters, and will impose fines for violations of the regulations. New broadcasters are also subject to an initial compulsory inspection. Temporary low-power stations are allowed at times via a Restricted Service Licence . Since 2001, long-term LPFM licenses have been available in remote areas of
2684-415: The highest licensed power among full-time TIS stations. There are more than 2,450 licensed low-power television (LPTV) stations in the U.S., which are located in markets of all sizes, from New York City (five stations, though more exist in the market from other cities of license ) down to Junction City, Kansas (two stations). LPTV (-LP) and LPTV Digital (-LD) are common in the U.S., Canada and most of
2745-487: The key distinctions between full-service television stations and low-power stations is cable television and direct broadcast satellite (DBS) carriage. Full-service stations are guaranteed carriage in their local television market through " must-carry " whereas LPTV stations are not. In 2008, there was an effort put forward by FCC chairman Kevin Martin to grant must-carry rights to Class A LPTV stations. The effort failed due to
2806-445: The letters CH for a television station or VF for a radio station. The regulation of spectrum space is strict in Canada, as well having restrictions on second and third adjacent channels, along with other protections for AM and FM commercial radio. In addition, because there have been a few cases that found that FM frequencies have caused interference to the aeronautical navigation and communications (NAV/COM) spectrum (though evidence
2867-429: The non-license assets of the market 's ABC affiliate KOTA-TV as part of its acquisition of Schurz Communications ' television stations. Due to Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ownership restrictions, Gray established this new low-powered station to move the Fox affiliation, KEVN's call sign, virtual channel, and programming. KOTA's ABC affiliation and program streams including its existing PSIP channel 3 numbering
2928-427: The protection of aeronautical services. Use of the following frequencies is not permitted within certain boundaries approaching Auckland and Wellington airports: 107.5 to 107.7, and 107.0 to 107.3 MHz, respectively. There exists a 25 km broadcast translator rule: one licensee may operate two transmitters anywhere (close together), but a third transmitter must be at least 25 km away from at least one of
2989-409: The same call sign format, as full-power stations. Stations in the very low-power class formerly had to have CRTC licenses as well, although a series of CRTC regulation changes in the early 2000s exempted most such stations from licensing; a station in this class will usually not have a conventional call sign, but will instead be identified in a naming format consisting of a four-digit number preceded by
3050-510: The same region. It is often distinguished from "micropower broadcasting" (more commonly " microbroadcasting ") and broadcast translators . LPAM , LPFM and LPTV are in various levels of use across the world, varying widely based on the laws and their enforcement . Radio communications in Canada are regulated by the Radio Communications and Broadcasting Regulatory Branch, a branch of Industry Canada , in conjunction with
3111-614: The space of a neighborhood or small town. Similar to pirate radio broadcasting, microbroadcasters generally operate without a license from the local regulation body, but sacrifice range in favor of using legal power limits (for example, 100 mW for medium wave broadcasts in the United States). Higher power levels can be achieved using carrier current techniques, which are widely used in colleges and universities. Both AM and FM bands are used, although AM tends to have better propagation characteristics at low power. Microbroadcasting
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#17330852321003172-519: The voiceless", including schools, community-based organizations, churches, and ethnic groups. Brown Paper Tickets CEO Steve Butcher supports LPFM, stating in a letter to the FCC, "We hear from event producers frequently who can't afford radio ad buys on commercial stations. These local entrepreneurs can afford underwriting on smaller stations that can help build awareness about their events." LPFM stations are considered to be affordable compared to an average FM station, whose operating costs can run up to
3233-652: The wake of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which removed caps on radio ownership, as well as the decline of locally produced radio programming." The main opposition to LPFMs came from the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), which opposed the act on grounds to "maintain spectrum integrity" for commercial broadcasting, according to NAB President Edward O. Fritts. Pressure from the National Association of Broadcasters urged Congress to slip
3294-429: The weeknight 9 p.m. news to an hour; the weekend edition of the newscast was expanded to an hour on November 2, 2013. The station moved the early evening newscast to 6 p.m. on March 31, 2008, and relaunched it as The Six . Low-power television station Low-power broadcasting is broadcasting by a broadcast station at a low transmitter power output to a smaller service area than "full power" stations within
3355-539: Was considered an insult against the FCC. The Local Community Radio Act of 2005 was introduced by Senators John McCain , Maria Cantwell and Patrick Leahy . After the FCC complied with the provisions of the Radio Broadcasting Act of 2000 by commissioning the MITRE Report to test if there was significant interference from LPFM stations on the full-power stations, the study showed that the interference of LPFM
3416-464: Was identified as the best fit for LPFM was IBOC. This hybrid system uses existing frequencies and can operate carrying digital information along with analog broadcast signal on the sidebands. However, the digital carriers require the bandwidth to be widened, which would cause interference to stations on the first adjacent channel. If LPFM adopts IBOC, then LPFM would also need to accept a second adjacent channel restriction between two LPFM stations, as there
3477-467: Was made evident during the transition of broadcasting in the United States from analog to digital . All television stations operating on UHF channels 38 and above were required to move to channel 36 or below. Full-service stations were guaranteed a place to land in the new compressed band while LPTV stations operating on channels 38 and above were required to either enter a channel-sharing agreement with another station or lose their license. The FCC provided
3538-543: Was never a factor in the 2003 window. The FCC licensing window for new translator applications in 2003 resulted in over 13,000 applications being filed, most of them coming from a few religious broadcasters. However even though all translators on commercial frequencies must be fed by a direct, over-the-air source, regardless of who owns the translator per FCC rule 74.1231(b), the actual over-the-air source (the primary station) can be satellite fed, just as commercial stations can be fed by satellite. This leads to programming from
3599-724: Was represented by the Community Broadcasters Association (CBA), which held its annual convention each year in October and an annual meeting each year in April at the National Association of Broadcasters Convention in Las Vegas . The meeting was open to anyone interested in the low-power television industry. On August 13, 2009, the CBA announced in a statement that it would shut down after 20 years of representing LPTV stations. One reason given
3660-487: Was the "restrictive regulations that kept the Class A and LPTV industry from realizing its potential". Another was the inability to reach most viewers, partly due to multichannel video programming distributors refusing to carry these channels. In addition, Amy Brown, former CBA executive director, said, "some 40% of Class A and LPTV station operators believe they will have to shut down in the next year if they are not helped through
3721-445: Was then moved to the old full-powered KEVN, transmitting on RF channel 7. The original KOTA-TV license was then sold to Legacy Broadcasting and became KHME. At the start of July 2024, the separate "Black Hills Fox" branding was discontinued for KEVN-LD and its simulcasts, and both KOTA and KEVN now feature the "KOTA Territory" branding across both stations vocally, without any mention of their affiliations. KEVN's logo now simply features
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