Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 13, 1992 TAG: 9203130259
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: A-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The commission expanded the limit to 30 AM and 30 FM stations nationwide. Previously, the limit was 12 of each.
The FCC also ruled that in one community, where an owner has been limited to one AM and one FM station, expansion will depend on the number of total stations in the area. In markets of:
Less than 15 stations, owners now can acquire three stations, no more than two of them FM, provided the stations together represent no more than half the listening audience.
15 to 29 stations, owners can acquire two AMs and two FMs, provided the audience share is no more than 25 percent.
30 to 39 stations, owners can acquire three AMs and two FMs, provided audience share is no more than 25 percent.
40 or more stations, owners can acquire three AMS and three FMs, provided audience share is no more than 25 percent.
The Roanoke metropolitan area has 14 stations, 7 FM and 7 AM, and the FCC has granted permits for three additional FM stations that have not been built.
For the FCC's purposes, the Lynchburg area is a separate market from Roanoke. There are more than 30 stations in the Roanoke-Lynchburg area, but only six have signals that reach both cities.
"There's just too many radio stations," said Russ Brown, operations manager for Roanoke's WXLK (K92, 92.3 FM). "There's just not enough ad dollars to go around."
One commission member, Andrew Barrett, abstained from the 4-0 vote, saying the changes would alter radio ownership dramatically in favor of big investors and "the losers will be small groups, women, single-owner stations and new entries."
Staff writer Chuck Milteer contributed to this story.
by CNB