The FCC will vote on authorizing AM stations to convert to all digital at its October 27 Open Meeting.

While stations such as Hubbard’s 820 WWFD Frederick MD have been operating in all-digital mode for year under experimental authorization, the vote will establish the technical rules and requirements for all-digital AM HD Radio. AM’s that voluntarily go all-digital will be required to offer at least one programming stream that is comparable or better in audio quality to the analog broadcast. Subcarriers can be used for broadcast or non-broadcast services such as enhanced song/title info. Stations will be required to avoid prohibited interference and continue to receive and transmit EAS alerts to listeners and other stations in the EAS chain.

Stations will be required to establish a 30-day waiting period before transitioning to all-digital upon which time they will notify the FCC, listeners and other potentially affected stations. The stations will be expected to make on-air and online announcements to inform listeners of their upcoming digital transitions.

Stations will be allowed to add HD2 programming feeds, however the agency states, “because the record does not establish that an audio stream on an HD-2 subchannel is currently technically feasible, we will evaluate requests to rebroadcast multicast channels on an FM translator on a case-by-case basis until a more fully developed record is available on this subject. We are not convinced that the Hubbard test demonstrated that a full second audio stream is currently feasible. This conclusion is reinforced by our exchanges with the applicant for all-digital station.” Radio One intended to convert 1310 WTLC Indianapolis to all-digital in May, however the FCC rejected because they were not then authorizing subchannels for AM HD broadcasts. Radio One intended to use WTLC to feed two translators with unique programming.

The full potential rulemaking can be read here.