Editing Low-power broadcasting (section)

====LPFM vs. broadcast translators====
{{See also|Broadcast relay station#Great Translator Invasion of 2003}}
Unlike the former [[list of broadcast station classes#FM|FM class D]] license, an LPFM station has no priority over broadcast translators in the allocation of available spectrum. This is problematic insofar as the regulations for [[broadcast translator]]s exempts non-commercial stations from the requirement that translators be within the coverage area of the original station that they rebroadcast. However, this provision only affects translators in the non-commercial portion of the band.  Stations in the commercial part of the spectrum must be fed over the air unless they are within the actual service area of the primary station.  Since the translator window of 2003 was only open for commercial channels, the use of directly-fed via satellite FM translators, commonly called "Satellators", was never a factor in the 2003 window.

The FCC licensing window for new translator applications in 2003 resulted in over 13,000 applications being filed,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.radioworld.com/article/translator-39flood39-causes-concern/16974 |title=Translator 'Flood' Causes Concern |date=September 10, 2003 |author=Naina Narayana Chernoff |access-date=June 1, 2015}}</ref> most of them coming from a few religious broadcasters.  However even though all translators on commercial frequencies must be fed by a direct, over-the-air source, regardless of who owns the translator per FCC rule 74.1231(b),<ref>{{CodeFedReg|47|74|1231|(b)}}</ref> the actual over-the-air source (the primary station) can be satellite fed, just as commercial stations can be fed by satellite. This leads to programming from a single station (retransmitted by many others) ending up on several hundred different translators. One station cannot apply for hundreds or thousands of translators nationwide, using automated means to generate license applications for all available channels, unless all of their applications are exclusively on the non-commercial part of the broadcast band (88–91.9&nbsp;MHz). ({{CodeFedReg|47|74|1231(b)}}) As with any new service that shares the FM spectrum, when translators are added to an area, they can reduce or eliminate the availability of channels both for new LPFM applicants and for relocation of any existing LPFM stations displaced by full-service broadcasters. Unlike an LPFM station, a translator is not required to (and legally not authorized to) originate any local content except as permitted by {{CodeFedReg|47|74|1231|(g)}}.  Thus there is competition for spectrum in some locations between the LPFM service and the FM translator service.

In May 2018, several groups supporting community-based low-power FM stations filed objections with the FCC, citing the [[Local Community Radio Act]], accusing it of favoring existing station coverage expansion with translator licenses - "a spectrum grab" - over new LPFM spectrum licenses.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ashworth|first1=Susan|title=LPFM Advocates File Objections to Nearly 1,000 Applications|url=https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/lpfm-advocates-file-objections-to-nearly-1000-applications|website=Radio World|date=May 17, 2018 |access-date=May 28, 2018|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jacobson|first1=Adam|title=Are Hundreds Of Pending FM Translators In Jeopardy? {{!}} Radio & Television Business Report|url=https://www.rbr.com/local-comm-radio-act/|website=www.rbr.com|date=May 18, 2018 |access-date=May 28, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Prometheus May 2018 translator objections">{{cite web|title=Low-power FM radio advocates file 1,000 Objections with FCC {{!}} Prometheus Radio Project|url=https://www.prometheusradio.org/InformalObjections20180516|website=www.prometheusradio.org|access-date=May 28, 2018|language=en}}</ref>