A freeze on the grant of new FM translators is part of a new FCC package which is being considered to boost the newly-instituted LPFM service. Among the items on the table - - granting LPFMs primary service status, allowing them to bump pre-existing FM translators off the allocation chart, as full service television stations do with LPTVs today. It will also look into handling possible 2nd and 3rd adjacent interference issues.

The freeze on translators comes after charges were leveled by LPFM activists that certain companies were trafficking in translator licenses. In particular, it was claimed that many were being funneled to noncom Religious groups.

>From the FCC's release, the agency plans to use a Furthre Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to open the following areas of inquiry:

* "Whether LPFM authorizations should be transferable and, if so, whether transferability should be broadly permitted or limited to special circumstances;"

* "Whether to extend from 30 days to 90 days the deadline for submission of a time-share proposal after a mutually exclusive group of LPFM applicants is announced;"

* "Whether to permit renewal of licenses granted under involuntary time-sharing, successive license term procedure;"

* "Whether to permanently restrict ownership of LPFM stations to local entities;"

* "Whether to permanently prohibit multiple ownership of LPFM stations."

* "Whether to extend the LPFM construction period from 18 to 36 months;"

* "Whether to allow applicants submitting a time-share proposal to relocate the transmitter to a central location, notwithstanding the site relocation limits for minor amendments;"

* "Whether and, if so, under what conditions LPFM applications should be treated as having "primary" status with respect to prior-filed FM translator applications and existing FM translator stations (including how to handle the large volume of pending FM translator applications);"

* "Whether an LPFM station should be permitted to continue to operate even when interference is predicted to occur within the 70 dBu contour of a subsequently-authorized second- or third- adjacent channel full service FM station."

Democratic Commissioners Michael Copps and Jonathan Adelstein have both been strong supporters of LPFM, and both took to the virtual pen to laud the move. Adelstein thought it could have gone a bit farther, though, and added, "One of the most significant obstacles to further development of LPFM isn't addressed by today's item, however, because the Commission is currently prohibited by statute from fixing it. LPFM stations are currently required to protect full-power FM stations operating on third-adjacent channels. The Commission initially concluded that such protection isn't necessary. The Mitre Corporation, in its independent and Congressionally-mandated study, reached the same conclusion, and the Commission has therefore recommended that Congress lift the statutory restriction. I therefore hope that Congress will act soon to on Senator McCain's bill to remove this unnecessary requirement, allowing LPFM to develop more and provide new voices to an even greater segment of the population, without causing harmful interference to existing broadcasters."

Leading LPFM activist Pete Tridish of Prometheus Radio Project was very happy with the move, saying, "We thank everyone involved in the process, particularly Chairman Powell, for keeping their promise to work with the LPFM community. LPFM provides unique local programming in hundreds of communities around the country. This gives us the opportunity to fix a number of problems that have come up since the FCC authorized the service five years ago."

Office of Communication of the United Church of Christ (UCC) Managing Director and former FCC commissioner Gloria Tristani added, "We are very grateful to all the FCC Commissioners who voted unanimously for this order that will expand opportunities for LPFM radio service. The UCC has strongly advocated for this service from the beginning because it empowers people in their local communities."