But with many LPFMs in financial difficulty, who will file?
The Media Bureau (Bureau) announces a filing window for applications for low power FM (LPFM) new station construction permits. The filing window will open at 12:01 am EDT on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, and close at 6:00 pm EST on November 8, 2023. The window is available for LPFM proposals in the entire FM band (channels 201-300).
This will be the first LPFM filing window since 2013, and we encourage potential applicants to begin familiarizing themselves with the application process. New applications must be filed electronically on FCC Form 2100, Schedule 318 in the Bureau’s Licensing Management System (LMS). Schedule 318 is currently being updated, and the new version will be released in the near future, well in advance of the opening of the filing window. In 2019, the Commission amended its rules and procedures for filing LPFM applications and selecting and licensing competing LPFM applications. The Bureau will provide detailed information about filing procedures and requirements by public notice in advance of the filing window. Interested applicants also may monitor the Audio Division Web Page for information and developments: http://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/lpfm/.