Electronic Media 

Published: 03-27-95 



FCC TARGETS TOWER WOES, PAPERWORK    



Byline: Joe Fedele 



 In January, the Federal Communications Commission proposed a

rule that would make life easier for broadcasters who transmit

from multiuser antenna sites.

 The proposal would streamline the process of approving

transmitter tower sites and provide better enforcement of FCC

rules concerning tower painting and lighting.

 Currently, the FCC holds each licensee responsible for tower

filings regardless of how many there are at a particular site.

 Licensees that lease tower space are required to file for

antenna structure clearance with the Federal Aviation

Administration.

  Changes to existing towers, such as a height increase, must be

filed for by all licen-sees at the site, regard-less of whether

or not they institute the changes. 

 The new rules would shift the burden of filing the tower

registration from the antenna license holders to the owners of

the tower structure.

 This strategy aims to reduce the number of filings made by

individual licensees and permit holders and  speed up tower site

registration and cataloguing.

 Tower owners would be responsible for registering the structure

with the FCC and for keeping up with the commission's

regulations for painting, lighting, tower height, coordinates

and ownership. 

 The FCC estimates that there are nearly half a million antenna

structures in the United States. Of that, more than 70,000 were

subject to FAA clearance prior to construction. Estimates show

that an average of 12 individual licensees are authorized on

each tower.

 The changes the FCC is proposing would apply to all structures

requiring FAA authorization, running the gamut from television

stations to amateur radio.

 On the matter of air safety, the FCC points out that under the

current system, the antenna structure owner oftentimes is not an

FCC licensee, ``and therefore, has no vested interest in

compliance.''

 ``This poses a hazard to air commerce in cases where all

commission licensees vacate an antenna structure and the tower

owner fails to paint, light or dismantle the structure,'' the

commission said in its proposal.

  The new rules would allow the FCC to levy fines against tower

owners. While owners would be primarily responsible for the

towers, broadcasters would still be held accountable, but on a

secondary basis.

 The commission is still exploring the rule changes. The

deadline for implementation is tentatively set for Jan. 1, 1996.

 Based on 1993 figures, the commission estimates annual savings

of more than $500,000 due to the decreased number of hours spent

on processing applications.

 However, the new rules could have a downside for the consulting

business: The commission estimates that licensees will save more

than $320,000 annually for engineer consultant services they

will no longer need.