Greetings from your broadcast friends out on the Desert…
This is BDR Newsletter 879, Volume 17, #46 for June 17, 2026

NCE FM TRANSLATOR WINDOW IS ANNOUNCED
The FCC has announced the dates for the NCE FM Translator Window. It will be open for two weeks, August 11th to 25th, 2026, with a limited freeze on some applications starting earlier.

SUMMERTIME AND THE SKY IS FLASHING!
Summer is upon us, with the “official” start coming next Sunday. Some parts of the country are already experiencing storms and lightning. This reminds us of the need to be aware of the condition of your ground system. Ensuring the electrical charge from any lightning strike can be dissipated safely and directed away from your RF system. Can the charges on the guy wires get to ground and avoid exploding the base?

UPCOMING FILING DATE
It is a new quarter and the Issues & Programs must be filed by July 10th. But do not forget the quarterly tower lighting inspection and, now that we are near the middle of the year, the yearly NRSC measurement for AM stations. Need some help in getting it done? Give one of these fine folks a call.

A BETTER WAY TO GET PHONES ON THE AIR
The Phone Gizmo from Angry Audio easily solves a problem many stations face: how to get good, clean audio into the program audio now that POTS is fading away. Catfish Dosch drops in to visit and share with us information on getting VoIP telephones on the air, without an phone hybrid, bringing callers right to your console with clean balanced audio. 

Our 324th Virtual Lunch Gathering will be on Thursday at 2PM Eastern / 11 AM Pacific. Join us and learn things! The link request is at www.theBDR.net/TLG/ … the same place where you will find most of the 323 previous presentations.  (By the way, our buddy Jeff Welton does his 100th TTT next week. Register at Nautel .com for access.)

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

BUILDING A MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST
Last week Dan Carcopo and Brian Szewczyk from GatesAir presented some very solid information building a great maintenance program, including a nice checklist. This is print and video. Start here.

CAN OF WORMS
Recently, the FCC required ABC stations to file for their license renewal – way early based on the renewal cycle that starts next year. Now, the Commission has invited public comment on the matter. Given the political divisions common today, some see the action as merited, others see it as a power play. Either way, this brings any number of problems into the renewal process. Let us hope it is a unique situation lest the whole system breaks down.

TROUBLE IN SMALL TOWNS
We all know that the radio business has had to reinvent itself in various ways in order to survive in the present. From the strains to small towns’ downtown districts to streaming audio, both the income aspect and listeners have come under increasing pressure. While stations that have worked hard to “super serve” the community generally survive – and even prosper – many other have failed as businesses and closed. Recently, Connoisseur Media shut down three stations in Grinnell, Iowa (a college town, in fact) as unsustainable. In Texas, the owner of a Class A FM faces loss of license over failing to pay the Commission about $3k in regulatory fees. In Cayahoga Falls, OH, Family Stations took WCUE 1150 off the air – the property where the station’s six towers were located was worth more than the station itself and is now owned by a developer. The station “might” return, but if so will be with a severely downgraded signal.

Perhaps one of the biggest dangers that has suddenly popped up are the AI Data Centers. When one of these behemoths comes to town, huge tracts of land get transferred and if the station is leasing, it might be forced to move – with a major question of “to where?” This just happened in Mississippi, where an AM station finds that zoning has made it very hard to locate a new authorized transmission site. Although this one appears to be caused by a terminated lease from a local government agency, this is also a danger for any station that either operates on a zoning wavier or sells off their land and instead leases back the property. Things can go south catastrophically.

AN ALTERNATIVE TO GPS?
Recently, a hearing at the U.S. House Communications and Technology Subcommittee considered that there are some real vulnerabilities with the Global Positioning System (GPS). Among the options discussed was the Broadcast Positioning System (BPS), which could be supported the by ATSC 3.0 television standards. At the hearing Subcommittee Chairman Hudson (R-NC) referenced the FCC’s March 2025 Notice of Inquiry exploring how the FCC can support industry efforts to develop new technologies.

IS IT REAL OR MEMOREX?
The flood of AI generated Deep Fake audio and videos has prompted stations, networks, and all 50 state broadcast associations to encourage “No Fakes” policies. A letter to Congress from the state associations supports the No Fakes Act of 2026. Meanwhile, some fake music cuts are running large up huge stream counts on the music services – and a few radio stations are running AI generated announcers. Let’s see: fake announcers running fake songs – what could go wrong?

Well, for one thing, listeners do not always know why, but a recent study of 1,500 listeners of all ages seems to show that a vast majority prefer human-curated playlists to those that are AI-driven. The human touch prevails – at least for now.

1000-FOOT TOWER COMES DOWN
Generally, it is a mixed feeling: we hate to see towers come down, but it can be a spectacular sight! In this case, it was a tower that had been replaced, so there was no loss of a local station.

SUMMER CONVENTIONS
Registration for the Texas Association of Broadcasters 2026 Convention in Round Rock Texas (near Austin) is now open. The gathering is on August 5th and 6th.

Also, this year, the Broadcasters’ Clinic has announced that their September meeting will be handled this year by a partnership of Wisconsin and Minnesota broadcasters associations.

FOX ACQUIRING ROKU
There is probably a 25% chance you have a Roku system in your home. Fox announced it has agreed to add it to their FAST channel, Tubi. The deal, planned closure in the first half of 2027, is for $22 billion in cash and stock. Initial market reaction was to knock Fox stock down 17%.

FOR SALE – WANTED
Someone is in need of a used FM Switchless Combiner. If you know of one that is available, it will help. A lightly used console is offered, with free shipping to an LPFM. And there are more really good items on the list – and a new job offer in the Rocky Mountains. Take a look here.
May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Here are some of the more recent items of interest:

• Building A Maintenance Checklist – Barry Mishkind
• Join the Lunch Gathering – Thursday 2 PM Eastern
• Enforcement Watch – $50k for translator violations
• The Rise and Fall of C -Band – Chip Morgan
• Predicting Maintenance Needs – Rolin Lintag
• Beware of Killer Thumb Drives – Barry Mishkind
• Danger: Consumer Electronic Parts – Ron Schacht
• Coping with Overgrown Wild Vegetation – Barry Mishkind

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 
MANUFACTURERS’ NEWS

GatesAir has improved their AirWatch365 to provide continuous remote monitoring, predictive analytics and expert RF support for broadcast transmitters. Real-time performance visibility can help reduce downtime and improve operational efficiency.

= = =

Our friend Jeff Welton, who drops by each first Thursday of the month on our weekly presentations (we are at 324 in a row this week), also does a Nautel program on occasional Tuesdays. He will hit 100 discussions next Tuesday, when he plans to talk about how broadcasting has evolved.

= = =

Wheatstone is offering their new AML Azalea Console for just $1,995 – and include a FREE adapter kit ($200 value) – while supplies last. Need some parts? The Wheatstone store has closeout pricing here.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

Do You Remember? This week in history:
Broadcast related items:

• 9 years ago (6/17/17) Brett Young topped the Country Chart with “In Case You Didn’t Know.“
• 16 years ago (6/19/10) Katy Perry hit #1 with “California Gurls.”
• 17 years ago (6/18/09) Jammie Thomas-Rasset was convicted of sharing 24 files of music and originally fined $1.92 million (later lowered to $222,000). She refused to pay.
• 42 years ago (6/18/84) KOA talker Alan Berg was shot dead in his driveway. The movie “Talk Radio” was loosely based on Berg’s murder.
• 43 years ago (6/16/83) Michael stopped the Motown 50 show with his “Moon Walk.”
• 51 years ago (6/21/75) Captain & Tennille started four weeks at #1 with “Love Will Keep Us Together.”
• 54 years ago (6/19/72) Carole King got her first #1 as a performer with “It’s Too Late/I Feel the Earth Move.“
• 54 years ago (6/16/72) David Bowie released his album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.”
• 59 years ago (6/18/67) the Monterey Pop Festival kicked off the “Summer of Love.”
• 61 years ago (6/21/65) “Mr. Tambourine Man” is released, and the folk-rock revolution was on.
• 61 years ago (6/16/65) Bob Dylan first recorded “Like A Rolling Stone.“
• 78 years ago (6/18/48) Columbia Records introduced the 33 1/3 microgroove record album.
• 81 years ago (6/15/45) the NBC Blue Network became the American Broadcasting Company

… and 92 years ago (6/19/34) the Federal Communications Commission was created by President Roosevelt to replace the FRC.

How about a few “general history” items as well

• 32 years ago (6/16/94) O.J. Simpson led L.A. police on the famous “low-speed chase.”
• 43 years ago (6/18/83) Sally Ride became the first American woman in space.
• 51 years ago (6/20/75) “Jaws,” a film directed by Steven Spielberg that made countless viewers afraid to go into the water.
• 54 years ago (6/19/72) the Watergate burglars were arrested.
• 22 years ago (6/20/63) The US and Russia established the nuclear “hot line.”
• 82 years ago (6/22/44) FDR signed the G.I. Bill.
• 85 years ago (6/20/41) Ford signed the first autoworkers union contract.
• 141 years ago (6/17/1885) the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor. *
• 142 years ago (6/16/1884) the first roller coaster in America opened at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. How fast was it? **
• 238 years ago (6/21/1788) the U.S. Constitution was ratified when New Hampshire became the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution of the United States.
• 393 years ago (6/22/1633) Galileo was convicted of heresy for teaching the earth revolved around the sun.

… and 811 years ago (6/15/1215) King John put his seal on the Magna Carta following a revolt by the English nobility against his rule.

May we please recommend this fine company which supports the BDR – and you!

 

• 9 years ago (6/17/17) Brett Young topped the Country Chart with “In Case You Didn’t Know.“
• 16 years ago (6/19/10) Katy Perry hit #1 with “California Gurls.”
• 17 years ago (6/18/09) Jammie Thomas-Rasset was convicted of sharing 24 files of music and originally fined $1.92 million (later lowered to $222,000). She refused to pay.
• 42 years ago (6/18/84) KOA talker Alan Berg was shot dead in his driveway. The movie “Talk Radio” was loosely based on Berg’s murder.
• 43 years ago (6/16/83) Michael stopped the Motown 50 show with his “Moon Walk.”
• 51 years ago (6/21/75) Captain & Tennille started four weeks at #1 with “Love Will Keep Us Together.”
• 54 years ago (6/19/72) Carole King got her first #1 as a performer with “It’s Too Late/I Feel the Earth Move.“
• 54 years ago (6/16/72) David Bowie released his album “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.”
• 59 years ago (6/18/67) the Monterey Pop Festival kicked off the “Summer of Love.”
• 61 years ago (6/21/65) “Mr. Tambourine Man” is released, and the folk-rock revolution was on.
• 61 years ago (6/16/65) Bob Dylan first recorded “Like A Rolling Stone.“
• 78 years ago (6/18/48) Columbia Records introduced the 33 1/3 microgroove record album.
• 81 years ago (6/15/45) the NBC Blue Network became the American Broadcasting Company

… and 92 years ago (6/19/34) the Federal Communications Commission was created by President Roosevelt to replace the FRC.

How about a few “general history” items as well

• 32 years ago (6/16/94) O.J. Simpson led L.A. police on the famous “low-speed chase.”
• 43 years ago (6/18/83) Sally Ride became the first American woman in space.
• 51 years ago (6/20/75) “Jaws,” a film directed by Steven Spielberg that made countless viewers afraid to go into the water.
• 54 years ago (6/19/72) the Watergate burglars were arrested.
• 22 years ago (6/20/63) The US and Russia established the nuclear “hot line.”
• 82 years ago (6/22/44) FDR signed the G.I. Bill.
• 85 years ago (6/20/41) Ford signed the first autoworkers union contract.
• 141 years ago (6/17/1885) the Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor. *
• 142 years ago (6/16/1884) the first roller coaster in America opened at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. How fast was it? **
• 238 years ago (6/21/1788) the U.S. Constitution was ratified when New Hampshire became the ninth and last necessary state to ratify the Constitution of the United States.
• 393 years ago (6/22/1633) Galileo was convicted of heresy for teaching the earth revolved around the sun.

… and 811 years ago (6/15/1215) King John put his seal on the Magna Carta following a revolt by the English nobility against his rule.

= = =

PLEASE INVITE A FRIEND TO JOIN US
We sure hope you are finding the BDR and the Newsletter to be of value to you. If so, there are two things that you can do to ensure the BDR keeps pulsing along:
        1. Invite a colleague or a friend to sign up for the Newsletter. Since it is only one-time-a-week, you will not be accused of flooding their in-boxes!
        2. Anytime you deal with one of our sponsors, letting them know the BDR is important to you will make them happy – and ready to keep on supporting the BDR.

PLEASE TELL US WHAT’S WHAT
There are so many areas into which we would like to expand, but it is feedback from you that helps us decided where to go first. Are you interested in a certain piece of gear or technology? Let us know. Even better, would you be willing to do a user report and share your experience?

– – –

We sure do appreciate you spending time with our Newsletter. And even more so when you recommend us to your colleagues and friends.

barry

– – –

Now … some extra stuff .. some important … some just interesting.

MORE DETAIL HERE – YOU HAVE PROBABLY READ THIS BEFORE…
Those you who read the Newsletter might notice that more detail is provided on some timely issues than on the BDR site, itself. That is one reason we encourage you to invite your friends to subscribe. We are Opt-In only… and we give you two promises (OK, four!):
(1) no inbox flooding – it is one-time-a-week, and
(2) we do not give out anyone’s address.. ever.
(3) no cookies are placed on your computer.
(4) no Google ads are grafted onto your computer screen.

(Need to change your address? No problem. Or, what can we do to make the BDR more useful to you? Just reply and send us a note about what you like, or what you think is missing.)

unsubscribe from this Newsletter