Goto Section: 73.3549 | 73.3555 | Table of Contents
FCC 73.3550
Revised as of October 1, 2008
Goto Year:2007 |
2009
Sec. 73.3550 Requests for new or modified call sign assignments.
(a) All requests for new or modified call sign assignments for radio and
television broadcast stations shall be made via the FCC's on-line call sign
reservation and authorization system accessible through the Internet's World
Wide Web by specifying http://www.fcc.gov. Licensees and permittees may
utilize this on-line system to determine the availability and licensing
status of any call sign; to select an initial call sign for a new station;
to change a station's currently assigned call sign; to modify an existing
call sign by adding or deleting an “-FM” or “-TV” suffix; to exchange call
signs with another licensee or permittee in the same service; or to reserve
a different call sign for a station being transferred or assigned.
(b) No request for an initial call sign assignment will be accepted from a
permittee for a new radio or full-service television station until the FCC
has granted a construction permit. Each such permittee shall request the
assignment of its station's initial call sign expeditiously following the
grant of its construction permit. All initial construction permits for low
power TV stations will be issued with a five-character low power TV call
sign, in accordance with Sec. 74.783(d) of this chapter.
(c) Following the filing of a transfer or assignment application, the
proposed assignee/transferee may request a new call sign for the station
whose license or construction permit is being transferred or assigned. No
change in call sign assignment will be effective until such transfer or
assignment application is granted by the FCC and notification of
consummation of the transaction is received by the FCC.
(d) Where an application is granted by the FCC for transfer or assignment of
the construction permit or license of a station whose existing call sign
conforms to that of a commonly-owned station not part of the transaction,
the new licensee of the transferred or assigned station shall expeditiously
request a different call sign, unless consent to retain the conforming call
sign has been obtained from the primary holder and from the licensee of any
other station that may be using such conforming call sign.
(e) Call signs beginning with the letter “K” will not be assigned to
stations located east of the Mississippi River, nor will call signs
beginning with the letter “W” be assigned to stations located west of the
Mississippi River.
(f) Only four-letter call signs (plus an LP, FM, TV or CA suffix, if used)
will be assigned. The four letter call sign for LPFM stations will be
followed by the suffix “-LP.” However, subject to the other provisions of
this section, a call sign of a station may be conformed to a commonly owned
station holding a three-letter call assignment (plus FM, TV, CA or LP
suffixes, if used).
(g) Subject to the foregoing limitations, applicants may request call signs
of their choice if the combination is available. Objections to the
assignment of requested call signs will not be entertained at the FCC.
However, this does not hamper any party from asserting such rights as it may
have under private law in some other forum. Should it be determined by an
appropriate forum that a station should not utilize a particular call sign,
the initial assignment of a call sign will not serve as a bar to the making
of a different assignment.
(h) Stations in different broadcast services (or operating jointly in the
535–1605 kHz band and in the 1605–1705 kHz band) which are under common
control may request that their call signs be conformed by the assignment of
the same basic call sign if that call sign is not being used by a
non-commonly owned station. For the purposes of this paragraph, 50% or
greater common ownership shall constitute a prima facie showing of common
control.
(i) The provisions of this section shall not apply to International
broadcast stations or to stations authorized under part 74 of this chapter
(except as provided in Sec. 74.783).
(j) A change in call sign assignment will be made effective on the date
specified in the postcard acknowledging the assignment of the requested new
call sign and authorizing the change. Unless the requested change in call
sign assignment is subject to a pending transfer or assignment application,
the requester is required to include in its on-line call sign request a
specific effective date to take place within 45 days of the submission of
its electronic call sign request. Postponement of the effective date will be
granted only in response to a timely request and for only the most
compelling reasons.
(k) Four-letter combinations commencing with “W” or “K” which are assigned
as call signs to ships or to other radio services are not available for
assignment to broadcast stations, with or without the “-FM” or “-TV” suffix.
(l) Users of nonlicensed, low-power devices operating under part 15 of this
chapter may use whatever identification is currently desired, so long as
propriety is observed and no confusion results with a station for which the
FCC issues a license.
(m) Where a requested call sign, without the “-FM,' “-TV,” “-CA” or “LP”
suffix, would conform to the call sign of any other non-commonly owned
station(s) operating in a different service, an applicant utilizing the
on-line reservation and authorization system will be required to certify
that consent to use the secondary call sign has been obtained from the
holder of the primary call sign.
[ 63 FR 71603 , Dec. 29, 1998, as amended at 65 FR 30007 , May 10, 2000]
Goto Section: 73.3549 | 73.3555
Goto Year: 2007 |
2009
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