This is a review of low-power television stations (LPTV) in the United States, transmitting on VHF channel 6, which also operate as radio stations capable of being picked up by many standard FM receivers. These stations are colloquially known as Franken-FMs, a reference to Frankenstein's monster, because TV stations functioning as radio stations had not been envisioned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)."MeTV FM goes from low-power TV station to top-10 Chicago radio station" by Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, May 3, 2018. The FCC commonly refers to these stations as FM6 operations. All of these FM transmissions are authorized for operation on a center frequency of 87.75 MHz, generally designated by receiver and station marketing as "87.7 FM".
First devised in 2002, until July 14, 2021, most of these stations employed the original NTSC-M analog TV transmission standard. However, as of that date, the FCC required that all TV stations that had not received a waiver had to cease analog transmissions, which meant that only the stations using a modified version of the ATSC 3.0 "NextGen TV" digital standard could still be received by standard FM radios.
On July 20, 2023, an FCC "Report and Order" restricted these operations to only the 13 stations holding Special Temporary Authority (STA) grants as of that date, with no additional authorizations permitted other than WVOA-LD in Westvale, New York,"Fifth Report and Order: In the Matter of Amendment of Parts 73 and 74 of the Commission's Rules to Establish Rules for Digital Low Power Television and Television Translator Stations" (FCC 23-58, MB Docket No. 03-185, Adopted: July 20, 2023, Released: July 20, 2023) which began FM6 transmissions on December 15, 2023.
List of FM6 stations currently authorized using a modified ATSC 3.0 standard The following channel 6 LPTV stations have been authorized to offer FM6 service, a version of the ATSC 3.0 digital TV standard that includes an FM analog signal receivable on standard radios at 87.75 FM.
California KZNO-LD Big Bear Lake KRPE-LD San Diego KBKF-LD San Jose KEFM-LD Sacramento
Colorado KXDP-LD Denver
Florida WEYS-LD Miami
Georgia WTBS-LD Atlanta
Illinois WRME-LD Chicago
Nevada KLVG-LD Las Vegas
New York WNYZ-LD New York City WQSE-LD Syracuse
Tennessee WPGF-LD Memphis
Virginia WDCN-LD Fairfax WMTO-LD Norfolk (simulcast on WXTG-FM)
Background These stations transmit an analog FM signal centered on 87.75 MHz, designated by receiver and station marketing as "87.7 FM". This is just below the lowest FM band frequency of 87.9 MHz, and within the internationally recognized Band II, which extends down to 87.5 MHz and is thus receivable by most consumer radios. Although primarily functioning as radio stations, they are formally licensed as TV stations, thus are still required to provide some sort of video signal in order to comply with FCC regulations. However the type of TV programming is not specified, and low-power TV stations are exempt from educational and informational programming mandates and are thus — unlike full-power and Class A TV stations — not required to provide three hours of educational children's programming per week.
The existence of largely unregulated commercial radio stations on 87.7 MHz, adjacent to the 87.9 to 91.9 FM frequencies (channels 200-220) reserved for non-commercial operations, led to requests that the FCC either eliminate, or formally regulate, these stations."They're alive — but NPR wants to drive a stake in 'Franken FMs'" by Tyler Falk, February 4, 2020 (current.org) In an October 2014 review, the FCC requested comments on "whether to allow LPTV stations on digital television channel 6 (82-88 MHz) to operate analog FM radio-type services on an ancillary or supplementary basis pursuant to section 73.624(c) of the rules"."E. Operation of Analog Radio Services by Digital LPTV Stations as Ancillary or Supplementary Services", Third Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (FCC 14-151), Adopted: October 9, 2014, Released October 10, 2014, page 12,554. In 2015, the commission further stated that: "We intend to issue a decision on whether to permit digital LPTV stations to operate analog FM radio type services on an ancillary or supplementary basis at a later date.""Amendment of Parts 73 and 74 of the Commission's Rules to Establish Rules for Digital Low Power Television and Television Translator Stations; Expanding the Economic and Innovation Opportunities of Spectrum Through Incentive Auctions; Amendment of Part 15 of the Commission's Rules to Eliminate the Analog Tuner Requirement", Third Report and Order and Fourth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 30 FCC Rcd. 14927 ¶ 4 n. 12. (2015). On December 4, 2019, the FCC issued a Public Notice that solicited additional public comments, in preparation for the July 13, 2021, deadline for all LPTV stations to switch from analog to digital transmissions."Media Bureau Seeks to Update the Record on the Operation of Analog Radio Services by Digital LPTV Stations as Ancillary or Supplementary Service" (DA 19-1231, MB Docket No. 03-185), December 4, 2019 (FCC.gov) However, the commission never made a formal decision about the status of these stations.
On May 17, 2022, Jessica Rosenworcel, head FCC commissioner, announced that one of the agenda items for an upcoming FCC Open Meeting, "Preserving Local Radio Programming (MB Docket No. 03-185)", "will consider a proposal to allow these broadcasters to continue their existing FM6 radio service, provided that they meet certain conditions, including interference protection and the provision of a synchronous TV service to consumers.""June 2022 Open Meeting Agenda" by Jessica Rosenworcel, May 17, 2022 (FCC.gov) However, this agenda item was dropped as being no longer needed,"Deletion of Item From June 8, 2022 Open Meeting", June 7, 2022 (FCC.gov) due to the June 6, 2022, adoption of a "Fifth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking" for MB Docket No. 03-185, which requested additional public comments about the best use of the frequencies assigned to TV channel 6."MB Docket No. 03-185: Fifth Notice of Proposed Rulemaking", Adopted: June 6, 2022, Released: June 7, 2022 (FCC.gov)
On July 20, 2023, the FCC's 5th "Report and Order" was unanimously adopted, establishing a grandfather clause for the thirteen stations currently holding special temporary authority (STA) grants to operate audio on 87.75 MHz, and, for the first time, formally defining regulatory standards for these stations. The regulations included: All FM6 operations are required to transmit on a center frequency of 87.75 MHz, with operation at 87.7 MHz explicitly prohibited. No additional FM6 operations will be granted. (WVOA-LD in Westvale, New York, was granted an extension, because its proximity to the Canadian border resulted in delays due to the need to coordinate with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. This station launched its FM6 service in December 2023.) If an existing FM6 service discontinues analog audio, it will not be allowed to resume. Because they are formally defined as an "ancillary or supplementary" service, commercial FM6 broadcasts are subject to the five percent fee on the gross revenue of such services and must submit an Annual DTV Ancillary/Supplementary Services Report. Due to their status as de facto radio stations, the FM6 operations are subject to the same emergency alert and online public file requirements as standard radio stations. The FM6 broadcast operations will not be licensed, or transferable, separately from the parent LPTV station license. In addition to the FM6 signal, as LPTV stations they have to provide at least one separate, and free, over-the-air TV broadcast. The FM6 signal coverage is limited to no more than the range of the TV signal. (LPTV stations operating on VHF TV channels, which includes channel 6, are licensed for an Effective Radiated Power (ERP) of no more than 3 kilowatts). This requirement was "to ensure that the FM6 LPTV station did not prioritize its FM operations over its television operations", moreover, the FCC regulators "will use the term 'service contour' to describe the FM6 station's coverage area and 'protected contour' to describe the TV station's coverage area".
History Analog TV transmissions
Under the original NTSC-M analog standards, a TV station's audio and video components are broadcast separately, with the audio transmitted as an FM signal. In 1945, TV channel 6 was assigned use of 82-88 MHz,"FCC Allocations Order Text: Alternative Three, Broadcasting, July 2, 1945, page 68. with the channel's audio located at a center frequency of 87.75 MHz. That same year, the standard FM broadcasting band was reassigned to 80 channels from 88.1 to 105.9 MHz, which was soon expanded to 100 channels ending at 107.9 MHz (channels 201–300)."FCC Allocates 88-106 mc Band to FM" by Bill Bailey, Broadcasting, July 2, 1945, pages 13-14."FCC Allocations Order Text", Broadcasting, July 2, 1945, pages 64-68. One additional FM channel, centered on 87.9 MHz (channel 200), was added in 1978."FCC moves to overhaul rules for noncommercial radio and TV", Broadcasting, June 12, 1978, page 50.
The location of TV channel 6's audio just below the FM band meant that many consumer FM radios could readily pick up the sound from channel 6 stations. Full-power stations sometimes promoted this as a valuable feature for commuters and in emergency situations, although the primary audience remained TV viewers. A few specialty "TV Sound" receivers were sold that could pick up audio from the VHF band TV stations, which were sometimes marketed to office workers who wanted to listen to their favorite daytime TV programs."AM/FM/TV Sound Portable" Radio Shack 1992 Catalog, page 42. Also, some Japanese and Soviet receivers could tune further down the VHF low band, making it possible to receive audio from VHF channel 5 at 81.75 MHz using Japanese band receivers that tuned to 76 MHz, while Soviet OIRT band receivers included audio reception of VHF channels 4 (71.75 MHz) and 3 (65.75 MHz).
In 1982, licensing began of a new classification of "Low Power Television" stations (LPTV)."Community Broadcasters Protection Act of 1999: Background and Need for Legislation", October 14, 1999, page 4. Eventually, a small number of channel 6 LPTV stations determined it was more profitable to operate as de facto radio stations, although this had not been anticipated by the FCC. On August 1, 2002, KZND-LP, a channel 6 LPTV station in Anchorage, Alaska, began promoting itself as a musical format radio station on 87.7 MHz.In 2023, the FCC traced the earliest activities to 1980, but did not identify the stations involved. Competing local conventional radio stations quickly challenged this as a misuse of a TV station authorization, but the FCC determined that as long as the station transmitted sufficient visual features, which did not have to be coordinated with the sound, it was in compliance with regulations. Moreover, as a TV station it was exempt from having to follow any radio station rules."Alaska's New Rock Rebel" by Adam Jacobson, Radio and Records, January 4, 2002, pages 1, 12. In early 2008, Monitoring Times magazine reported the existence of three channel 6 de facto radio stations in addition to KZND: KSFV-LP in Los Angeles; K06NC in Kauai, Hawaii; and WNYZ-LP in New York City."AM Bandscan: TV on the Radio" by Doug Smith, Monitoring Times, February 2008, pages 54-55. A Radio World review later that year identified a total of 8 ongoing examples."Concerns Raised About 'Franken FMs'" by Randy J. Stine, December 16, 2008 (radioworld.com) In late 2019, InsideRadio identified 28 active stations."Franken FMs Are Seeking A New Lease On Life. But The FCC Remains Undecided", December 5, 2019 (insideradio.com)