FCC Media Bureau Announces Potential Longer Broadcasting Periods for Certain Daytime-Only AM’s

posted on 7.15.2024

The FCC's Media Bureau announced last week that it is making available recalculated pre-sunrise and post-sunset authorizations for certain qualifying AM daytime-only stations, commonly referred to by broadcasters as "daytimers."

It's the first time such authorizations have been available to daytime-only stations since March of 2007.

The recalculations allow qualifying AM daytime-only licensees to operate at increased power during the two hours immediately preceding local sunrise (pre-sunrise authorization or PSRA) and the two hours immediately following local sunset (post-sunset authorization or PSSA).

In March 2007, the FCC's Media Bureau withdrew all PSRAs and PSSAs issued before Feb. 1, 2007, to recalculate the permissible operating powers for such authorizations following enactment of the US Energy Policy Act of 2005.

The Act lengthened the duration of Daylight Savings Time and consequently, changed the local sunrise and sunset times for most parts of the country.

The FCC said that "due to an unanticipated computer problem that produced erroneous power levels on certain of these recalculated authorizations, the bureau suspended use of its recalculated PSRAs and PSSAs until correct power levels could be computed."

Now, more than 20 years later, the FCC's Audio Division has implemented new tools to determine the permissible pre-sunrise and post-sunset operating parameters for eligible AM stations.

The Media Bureau said it anticipates that "for practical or technical reasons, not all eligible AM stations will elect to operate with pre-sunrise and post-sunset authority."

The Audio Division is now accepting letter requests from AM stations intending to operate PSRA or PSSA.

Interested AM daytime-only licensees should submit a letter request to Joseph Szczesny or Jerome Manarchuck of the Audio Division AM engineering staff, at [email protected].

The request must include the licensee's name, station callsign, facility ID, frequency, location, and the file number of the licensed daytime facility.

The requesting station must indicate whether the licensee intends PSRA operation, PSSA operation, or both.

It must also provide a description of the method by which any necessary power reduction will be achieved.

Once an AM station requesting PSRA and/or PSSA has received the operating parameters calculated by the Audio Division for such authorized operation, it may commence such operations immediately.

The PSRA/PSSA operating parameters break down permissible pre-sunrise and post-sunset operating powers into 15-minute (quarter-hour) increments.

The FCC reminded licensees that if a station is authorized for greater nighttime operating power than the value shown on the PSRA or PSSA, the licensed value takes precedence.

Permissible powers for PSRA and PSSA operation will be calculated using the daytime antenna system or critical hours antenna systems when specified on the license.

For additional information, contact Joseph Szczesny ([email protected]), Jerome Manarchuck ([email protected]), or Son Nguyen ([email protected]) of the Audio Division at (202) 418-2700.

Questions? Contact TAB's Michael Schneider or call (512) 322-9944.

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