Translator rules.
 

Here's a piece of minutia.

Yesterday, we were approached about leasing a subcarrier on a translator we
own and operate.

Question...

Is it legal for a commercial translator to sell it's subcarriers for
revenue? I don't see this addressed directly in the rules? Any thoughts?

Thanks

Absolutely.

The only restriction on subcarriers is injection levels, crosstalk to the main
carrier and other technical considerations.

It used to be that the main carrier must be programmed when a subcarrier was
in operation, but I think the FCC eliminated that requirement about 10 years
or so ago. I don't think (but check with a good broadcast attorney) that
there's even decency regulations imposed on subcarrier operations, since it
won't be available to the general public.

For those stations who wouwld want to do a good thing, one might even
consider giving a non-profit entity, like a local blind association, access
to a subcarrier for a reading service and the like, and thus the in-kind
contribution might be a no-cost writeoff of several thousand dollars a year
(but again, talk with a good tax attorney). --
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If there's nothing that offends you in your community, then you know you're
not living in a free society. Kim Campbell - ex-Canadian Prime Minister -
2004
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For direct replies, take out the contents between the hyphens. -Really!-



"Bill Doerner" wrote in message ...
Here's a piece of minutia.

Yesterday, we were approached about leasing a subcarrier on a translator we
own and operate.

Question...

Is it legal for a commercial translator to sell it's subcarriers for
revenue? I don't see this addressed directly in the rules? Any thoughts?

Thanks

Bob Haberkost wrote:
Absolutely.

The only restriction on subcarriers is injection levels, crosstalk to the main
carrier and other technical considerations.

It's not a subcarrier issue, it's a translator issue. Translators are not
allowed to originate independant programming; they must directly repeat
whatever the main broadcast transmitter is producing.

Does this local origination prohibition apply to subcarrier data as well,
or just to the main channel?

It used to be that the main carrier must be programmed when a subcarrier was
in operation, but I think the FCC eliminated that requirement about 10 years
or so ago. I don't think (but check with a good broadcast attorney) that
there's even decency regulations imposed on subcarrier operations, since it
won't be available to the general public.

Right. But the issue is the translator, not whether it's permitted to be
broadcast on subcarrier. The question is can you broadcast it on a translator
subcarrier without it being on the subcarrier of the main channel of license.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."