For FCC Record Only:
$// Public Notice, MMB Announces Revised Expanded AM Broadcast    
    Band Improvement Factors and Allotment Plan, DA 96-408 //$
                                    
                              Public Notice
   DA 96-408

                                                                   Released:  March 22, 1996

                                    MASS MEDIA BUREAU ANNOUNCES REVISED EXPANDED AM BROADCAST
BAND IMPROVEMENT FACTORS AND ALLOTMENT PLAN

As part of the Commission's plan for the overall improvement and revitalization of the AM
broadcast band, by this Public Notice we announce the revised Allotment Plan providing for
eighty-seven AM radio stations in the AM expanded band. The expanded band is that
spectrum between 1605 and 1705 kHz.  This Public Notice also announces the revised
improvement factors which were used to generate the Allotment Plan.  

On September 1,  1995 the Commission rescinded the October 14, 1994 Public Notice (DA
94-1154) listing stations which were potentially eligible to apply for authorizations associated
with specific allotments in the expanded AM band.  See Memorandum Opinion and Order, 10
FCC Rcd 12143 (1995).  The Commission also rescinded a December 3, 1993 Public Notice
which set forth interference improvement factor rankings of existing AM licensees who had
petitioned to migrate to the expanded band.  That Order set forth the technical procedures
that would be used to generate new improvement ranking factors and a revised allotment plan. 
Interested parties were afforded a thirty day period to comment on the procedures.  The
Commission is today releasing a Memorandum Opinion and Order, FCC 96-113, "In re
Comments in Response to Reconsideration of Implementation of the AM Expanded Band and
Allotment Plan" which denies the requests raised in the comments filed in response to the
September 6, 1995 Order. 

After the Allotment Plan becomes a final Commission action, we will issue a further public
notice announcing that each licensee that was allotted a frequency, and thus selected for
migration to the expanded band, will be afforded a sixty (60) day period in which to file an
application for construction permit authority on the allotted channel.  Such licensees will also
be notified individually by letter.  Applications will  be subject to petitions to deny but not to
competing applications.  Application procedures will be set forth in the further public notice. 
Licensees selected for migration to the expanded band are reminded that construction of the
new facilities cannot commence until issuance by the Commission of a construction permit
for the allotted frequency.  

For more information, contact Jim Burtle at (202) 418-2660.

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