Carl Como Tutera tells RBR-TVBR he has filed two amendments in the last few weeks to move his Ormond Beach and Port St. Lucie, FL FCC-granted FM translators to the Orlando market to allow his Star Over Orlando WRSO-AM 810 Orlando (CBS Sports Radio) to be heard there at night.
Tutera told RBR-TVBR in January the AM would soon simulcast on FM 93.1: “93.1 is an FM translator licensed to Orlando and granted to me by the FCC recently. I hope to have it on the air soon after 10 years on file. It’s 250 Watts from a tower site downtown.”
The “Tell City” waiver, when granted, would allow a move in the .025 mV/m contour of an AM signal into the 2 mV/m contour and be considered a minor move: “This is just another step to revitalize the AM band for owners,” he said. “It’s an important move that if granted could mean a serious effort for AM operators all over the country to compete with major group clusters and help solve AMs’ difficulty in night time coverage.”
The NAB has supported this measure over a year ago when introduced by fellow broadcaster Bud Walters. The legal brief was filed by attorney John Garziglia who has represented Tutera from Womble Carlyle Sandridge and Rice.
Adds Tutera: “The sheer numbers of group owners with as many as seven AM/FM signals in any major market plus their other HD signals carried on FM translators makes this move extremely important and necessary if AM standalones are to stay alive and compete. Orlando is large market in area size and one translator cannot cover the market fully. It makes sense for the FCC to act positively since no one is hurt by this move.”
