The FCC has announced that there will be a filing window for new Low Power FM (LPFM) stations.

The window will open at 12:01 AM EST on December 6, 2023, and will close on at 6:00 PM EST on December 13, 2023. (It was originally scheduled for early November.)

The following provides some basic information about LPFM stations:

• LPFM stations can be used to serve communities such as schools, tribes, churches, and special interest groups such as arts societies and Chambers of Commerce. LPFM stations may also be licensed to governmental agencies, particularly for Public Safety services. LPFM stations cannot be licensed to individuals. Only not-for-profit entities are eligible.
• LPFM stations have limited coverage areas, with an effective radiated power of 100 Watts or less, so it's best if the intended audience is concentrated geographically.
• LPFM stations cannot air commercials. Sponsorship announcements are permitted. The primary difference is that commerical announcements tend to be written in active voice, with a call to action such as "Come in to the store" or "Access the website at www.xyzco.com" or comparison of products, services, or companies ("The best restaurant in town."). These types of announcements are strictly prohibited. Sponsorship announcements are generally written in passive voice, and describe a sponsor or its products. There can be no call to action, but sponsorship announcements can provide information such as a street address, a description of a product or service, or a statement like "Information is available at www.xyzco.com." Note that in these examples, the website www.xyzco.com is being promoted. The difference is the call to action in the commercial announcement: "Access the website."

Skywaves stands ready to help your organization apply for an LPFM station. We have decades of experience with FCC applications, and we have obtained LPFM licenses for a number of entities.

For more information, please call or email. Our contact information is below.

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