Channel 6 radio stations in the United States
[3] In an October 2014 review, the FCC requested comments on "whether to allow LPTV stations on digital television channel 6 (82-88 MHz) to operate analog FM radio-type services on an ancillary or supplementary basis pursuant to section 73.624(c) of the rules".
[4] In 2015 the commission further stated that: "We intend to issue a decision on whether to permit digital LPTV stations to operate analog FM radio type services on an ancillary or supplementary basis at a later date.
"[7] However, this agenda item was dropped as being no longer needed,[8] due to the June 6, 2022 adoption of a "Fifth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" for MB Docket No.
Full-power stations sometimes promoted this as a valuable feature for commuters and in emergency situations, although the primary audience remained TV viewers.
[17] In early 2008 Monitoring Times magazine reported the existence of three channel 6 de facto radio stations in addition to KZND: KSFV-LP in Los Angeles; K06NC in Kauai, Hawaii; and WNYZ-LP in New York City.
[20] While operating using analog transmissions, television video commonly consisted of minimal offerings, such as still frames, test patterns, automated weather conditions and news, or silent films.
[21][22] In 2012 Venture Technologies Group, which owns several channel 6 low power TV stations in major markets, applied to install modified versions of the ATSC 1.0 standard in order to add an FM signal for channel 6 LPTV stations KFMP-LP in Lubbock, Texas and WBPA-LP in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
[1][24] The company cited the FCC rules, which provides that "DTV broadcast stations are permitted to offer services of any nature, consistent with the public interest, convenience, and necessity, on an ancillary or supplementary basis", and in general affords broadcasters broad permission "to offer services of any nature" as long as they "do not derogate DTV broadcast stations' obligations" to transmit at least one over-the-air video program signal at no direct charge to viewers,[25] a distinction that Venture says allows a digital television signal to incorporate an FM analog subcarrier.
)[31] The prohibition of LPTV analog transmissions resulted in the elimination of an estimated 28 de facto radio operations,[32] although some of these stations eventually returned after installing upgraded ATSC 3.0 transmitters.
Venture's KBKF-LD in San Jose, California began transmitting an FM subcarrier using the ATSC 3.0 TV standard in February 2021.
On June 10, 2021 the FCC issued a six-month Special Temporary Authority (STA) grant allowing KBKF-LD to include analog FM broadcasts on 87.75 MHz using this dual transmission approach.
[32] STA applications for ATSC 3.0/FM operation by KXDP-LD in Denver,[34] WMTO-LD in Norfolk, Virginia[35] and WTBS-LD in Atlanta[36] were approved July 16, 2021, for the period through January 15, 2022.
