Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems and Their Impact on the Terrestrial Radio Broadcast Service

PUBLIC NOTICE

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION News Media Information: (202) 418-0500

445 12th STREET, S.W. Fax-On-Demand: (202) 418-2830

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov

ftp.fcc.gov

DA 03-831

March 20, 2003

OMB Control No. 3060-1034

IBOC Notification Procedures Effective Immediately

AM and FM Stations Implementing Digital Operations May Do So Without Special Temporary Authority; Notification Required Within 10 Days of Commencement of Digital Operations

The Media Bureau (MB) announces that AM and FM radio stations must notify the Commission by letter within 10 days of the commencement of in-band, on-channel (IBOC) digital transmissions. This new notification procedure is effective immediately and replaces the requirement that radio stations obtain special temporary authority (STA) prior to the initiation of IBOC transmissions. The digital notification letter shall provide the information listed below. A sample notification letter is shown in Attachment A, and is also available on the Commission’s web site at http://www.fcc.gov/mb/ad/digital.

Interim digital operation. AM and FM stations may commence IBOC operations immediately with the iBiquity hybrid IBOC systems¹ evaluated by the National Radio Systems Committee. ² The notification procedure is intended to assist the Commission in monitoring the development of digital radio, including its technical impact on analog service.³ Specifications of iBiquity’s hybrid IBOC systems, known as HD Radio, are given in Appendices B and C of the IBOC Order. Stations implementing IBOC shall broadcast the same main channel program material in both analog and digital modes, and shall use their licensed main antennas.⁴

Until further notice, AM stations must restrict IBOC operation to daytime hours. An AM station with authority to operate between 6 a.m. and local sunrise (pre-sunrise hours) and between local sunset and 6 p.m. (post-sunset hours)⁵ may operate its hybrid IBOC system during those periods.

Information required in the digital notification letter. Stations must notify the Commission within 10 days of the commencement of IBOC transmissions. The notification letter shall contain the following information:

• the date that interim operation commenced;

• a certification that the IBOC facilities conform to the iBiquity hybrid specifications;

• the name and telephone number of a technical representative the Commission can call in the event of interference;

• transmitter power output; if separate analog and digital transmitters are used, the power output for each transmitter;

• a certification that analog effective radiated power remains as authorized;

• a certification that the interim operation would not cause human exposure to levels of radiofrequency radiation in excess of Section 1.1310 of the Commission’s rules and is therefore categorically excluded from environmental processing pursuant to Section 1.1306(b). Any station that cannot certify compliance must submit an environmental assessment (EA) pursuant to Section 1.1311 and may not commence interim operation until such EA is ruled upon by the Commission;⁶ and

• if applicable, any power reduction in an AM station’s primary digital carriers.⁷

A copy of the notification letter shall be posted next to the station license and a copy retained in the station’s public inspection file. Digital notifications shall be sent to the following address:

Digital Radio Notification

445 12^th Street S.W.

Room 2-B450

Washington, DC 20554

Stations with STAs for IBOC operation. Stations granted STAs for IBOC operation before the notification procedures became effective received such authority for a period of 6 months, consistent with the limitations in 47 C.F.R. § 73.1635. To convert to standard interim digital authority, which will not require renewal, we require all stations that have commenced IBOC operations under an STA to send a digital notification letter with the information listed above.

For additional information, contact Ann Gallagher (FM notification) or Norm Miller (AM notification) at the Audio Division, Media Bureau at (202) 418-2700.

Attachment A: Sample Digital Notification Letter

FCC NOTICE REQUIRED BY THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT

On February 24, 2003, the Commission received approval for the information collection contained herein pursuant to the "emergency processing" provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (5 CFR 1320.13). The OMB Control Number for this information collection is 3060-1034, expiring on August 31, 2003. The annual reporting burdens for this collection of information, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the required data and completing and reviewing the collection of information, are estimated to be: 200 respondents, 2 hours per response per annum, for a total annual burden of 400; there are no annual costs. If you have any comments on this burden estimate, or how we can improve the collection and reduce the burden it causes you, please write to Les Smith, Federal Communications Commission, Room 1-A804, 445 12^th Street, SW, Washington, DC, 20554. Please include the OMB Control Number: 3060-1034, in your correspondence. We will also accept your comments regarding the Paperwork Reduction Act aspects of this collection via the Internet if you send them to [email protected] or call (202)418-0217.

Under 5 CFR Section 1320, an agency may not conduct or sponsor a collection of information unless it displays a current valid control number. No person shall be subject to any penalty for failing to comply with a collection of information subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) that does not display a valid control number. The OMB Control Number for this collection is 3060-1034.

THE FORGOING NOTICE IS REQUIRED BY THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT OF 1995, PUBLIC LA W 104-13, OCTOBER 1, 1995, 44 U.S.C. SECTION 3507.

ATTACHMENT A – SAMPLE NOTIFICATION LETTER

[Date]

Marlene H. Dortch, Secretary

Federal Communications Commission

Digital Radio Notification

445 Twelfth Street, S.W.

Room 2-B450

Washington, D.C. 20554

Re: [Station Call Sign][AM/FM][City, State][Frequency/Channel]

Facility Identification Number: [ ]

Notification of Digital Operation

Dear Ms. Dortch:

[Name of Licensee] hereby notifies the Commission of the commencement of digital broadcasting using iBiquity Digital Corporation’s HD Radio™ technology. Consistent with the Commission’s recent Order on interim digital operations,⁸ [Name of Licensee] hereby supplies the following information in support of this notification.

1. Date. [Name of Licensee] plans to commence digital broadcasts on [insert date]

2. Certification of Facilities. [Name of Licensee] hereby certifies its facilities conform to the iBiquity Digital Corporation hybrid [AM or FM] specifications.

3. Technical Reference. In the event of interference, questions should be directed to [Name of Licensee]’s technical representative:

[ Name]

[telephone number]

4. Transmitter Output Power.

Combined:

Analog:

Digital:

5. Certification of ERP. [Name of Licensee] hereby certifies its analog effective radiated power will remain as authorized after commencement of digital operations.

6. Radiation Exposure Certification. [Name of Licensee] hereby certifies that its interim digital operations will not cause human exposure to levels of radio frequency radiation in excess of Section 1.1310 of the Commission’s rules and is therefore categorically excluded from environmental processing pursuant to Section 1.1306 (b).

7. (For AM stations only): The primary digital carrier power has been reduced by ____ dB from the iBiquity specified level. ____ Not applicable.

Any questions concerning this notification should be directed to the undersigned.

[Signature]

___________________

[Name]

[Title]

1 The term “hybrid” refers to a system which transmits both the digital and analog signals within the spectral emission mask of a single AM or FM channel.

2 Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems and Their Impact on the Terrestrial Broadcast Service, 17 FCC Rcd 19990, 20004 (2002) (“IBOC Order”).

3 The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the new information collection requirements under the Paperwork Reduction Act, 44 U.S.C. § 3501, et seq. OMB Control No. 3060-1034.

4 FM licensees must excite all radiating elements of their authorized antennas with both analog and digital signals. The Commission has not authorized interim operations that employ separate radiating elements for analog and digital signals. The notification procedures announced in this Public Notice may not be used to authorize such operations.

5 See 47 C.F.R. § 73.99.

6 See 47 C.F.R. § 1.1312(b).

7 See IBOC Order, 17 FCC Rcd at 20000.

8 Digital Audio Broadcasting Systems and Their Impact on the Terrestrial Radio Broadcast Service, MM Docket No. 99-325, First Report and Order (October 11, 2002).

5