FCC announces an auction for vacant FM allotments in early 2027
Auction 114 will make available 132 pre-determined vacant FM allotments for new full-service FM broadcast stations.
In several releases today, the Federal Communications Commission is planning on holding Auction 114 for FM broadcast allotments in February, 2027. This auction will involve 132 vacant allotments in 35 states and the US Virgin Islands, including 33 allotments that were originally won in the previous Auction 109 (held in 2021) but were never constructed.
This auction will also include a handful of vacant allotments that were once reserved for noncommercial educational facilities. On February 9, 2022, those allotments were de-reserved following the 2021 NCE Filing Window. Most of those allotments were originally necessary due to the need for NCE stations operating in the 88~92 MHz reserved band to protect full-service channel 6 stations. As the number of full-service channel 6 stations was substantially reduced as a result of the conversion to digital television, the need to use non-reserved band (92~108 MHz) channels was no longer necessary, especially given the outcome of the 2021 NCE Filing Window.
A list of the 132 vacant allotments, including channel, station class and opening bids can be found here. This list can change based on ongoing rulemaking proceedings.
Requests to amend the FM Table of Allotments is done through the rulemaking process accompanied by a filing in LMS. Today, the FCC has announced a filing freeze on any rulemaking requests that propose to modify any of the allotments designated for Auction 114 as well as petitions and counterproposals to change channel, class or reference coordinates for those allotments. Minor modifications filed by FM stations must protect those allotments.
The Media Bureau has also released a public notice that outlines the auction process and to accept comments on the proposed bidding procedures. This is common for any spectrum auction. Comments in AU Docket 26-105 are due on June 9, 2026 with reply comments due on June 24, 2026.
How the auction process works
The FCC will eventually release auction procedures, this will happen after the comment period has passed and the Bureau has had a chance to review the comments on the procedures.
Normally, there will be a filing window to file Form 175. This is also referred to as the “short form”. In this process, an applicant can file to provide information about themselves and to state which of the 132 vacant allotments they intend to bid on in the auction. Filers can specify as many as they want.
The applicant will then be required to make an up front payment equivalent to the minimum opening bid for each allotment as shown in the list linked above. Up front payments will be refunded if the applicant is not successful in the auction.
The auction will normally be conducted in “rounds” with multiple rounds during the day.
Once the auction is over, the winner must submit a down payment of 20% of the winning bid, minus bidding credits* and minus the up front payment within 10 days of auction closing. The remainder is due 10 days after that.
* - Bidding credits will be available for those with 3 or fewer existing broadcast holdings.
Within 30 days of winning the auction, a Form 2100 Schedule 301-FM must be filed. This is known as the long form. This will be the actual physical facility that the winner wishes to operate. The proposed facility must meet either the distance separation requirements in §73.207 or the distance and contour protection requirements of §73.215 of the FCC Rules. The proposed facility may not propose to change the community of license and it must place a 70 dBu (city grade) contour over the entire community of license.
There will eventually be a filing freeze for all full-service FM minor change applications. Secondary services, such as LPFM and FM translator stations are not normally subject to this freeze.
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What services will REC be able to provide?
Assuming there are no changes to the process for Auction 114, we expect services to be similar to what REC offered for Auction 109. This includes the filing of Form 175 (short form) and the eventual filing of Schedule 301-FM (long form) and eventual filing of Schedule 302 (license to cover) following completion of construction. Please note that the REC fees shown in the Auction 109 document may be different for Auction 114 and we may need to limit the number of clients we can handle for this auction or not have an offering based on the timing of the Form 175 and the upcoming NCE translator windows. REC will provide more information on our services at a later time. Please stay tuned to REC on Facebook, our website and on Substack for more details as they come in.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can I use this opportunity to request a new station in any location?
A. No. This opportunity is limited to the 132 vacant allotments indicated in the public notice. If you wish to request an allotment “dropped in” and as long as it meets all of the requirements for a new allotment (and there are quite a few), you can still file a Rulemaking at this time. That Rulemaking cannot conflict with an Auction 114 allotment nor can it request a change in an Auction 114 allotment accommodate the request, even if it would otherwise be a preferential change in allotments.
Q. Can I use this opportunity to get a new LPFM station or FM translator station?
A. No.
Q. Will this auction result in interference or displacement of existing LPFM stations?
A. This will depend on when the allotment was added to the Table of Allotments. LPFM stations are required by §73.807 to protect vacant allotments at the distance specified for the vacant allotment’s service class. In those situations, the LPFM station is already the proper distance to the allotment, however, following the auction, it may be possible that the auction winner may move their allotment to a different community, upgrade the station class or change the transmitter location and remain in the community of license. This could create situations where the full-service station may cause interference.
If the allotment was amended to the table subsequent to the authorization of the LPFM facility, this further increases the risk that the resulting station, once built could result in increased interference or potential displacement.
Q. If an allotment or a modification after the auction results in a new or increased §73.807 short-spacing, does this mean the LPFM station has to go off the air?
A. Not merely for a new short spacing. Like with any FM application activity, subsequent activity that results in a new or increased short spacing will mean that the LPFM station may remain on the air (with increased interference) but will not be able to move the station closer to the short-spaced station.
However, if the full-service activity places a new FM facility fairly close to an LPFM station, the full-service station has the option to invoke §73.809 of the rules in order to displace the LPFM. In order to invoke §73.809, the full-service station must make a contour study that shows that the appropriate interfering contour of the LPFM station overlaps the 70 dBu city grade contour or the community of license of the complaining full-service FM station. If this happens, the LPFM station can either file to move to a different channel (which meets all §73.807 requirements) or otherwise demonstrate that the LPFM station is not the cause of the interference.
Q. Can a noncommercial entity file to use an allotment and bypass the entire auction process?
A. A noncommercial educational (NCE) entity (including LPFM licensees) can file a Form 175 short form during the short form filing window without any filing fee. They must specify that they are a NCE entity and specify the allotment(s) that they are interested in. We do note however, that if a Form 175 is filed by an entity who designates themselves as commercial (subject to fees and auctions) files for the same allotment that a designated NCE entity files for, the NCE’s Form 175(s) will be automatically dismissed right off the top. An entity that original files as noncommercial on Form 175 will not be allowed to change it to commercial.
An NCE entity can participate in the auction just like a commercial station and will be treated like a commercial station and if they win the auction, they must pay the auction proceeds. Once the auction is won and the proceeds have been paid, the NCE entity can file their long form without filing fees.
On the long form, LPFM entities will be required to disclose their LPFM holding and provide a commitment to divest their LPFM station upon program testing. Full-service NCE entities that were subject to the point system and still in their first four years of operation will need to adhere to the diversity policy as outlined in the conditions on the construction permit or station license authorization.
Q. What are the REC and FCC fees for participating in the auction?
A. As previously mentioned, REC will announce our service offering including fees at a later date.
For the FCC, the current fees are $4,545 (combined short and long form fees) for the construction permit, $190 for the call sign request and $275 for the post-construction license to cover. If a directional antenna is involved, there is an extra fee of $705. These fees are subject to change by the time the filing opportunity takes place.
Q. Is REC accepting shows of interest at this time?
A. Not yet. We will announce a show of interest period at a later date. Please stay tuned to REC on Facebook, our website or Substack for further details. Please subscribe to the Substack. It is free and you will receive email notification when we write an article here.
Q. How little power can I operate if I win the auction or are otherwise granted as an NCE if my short form application was the only one that requested that allotment?
A. The minimum power is based on the class of service. You must run a power level & height above average terrain (HAAT) combination that exceeds the next lower service class based on service contour size.
In the areas considered Zones I and I-A, the classes of service available are in the order of: A, B1 and B. In all other areas (Zone II), the classes of service are in the order of: A, C3, C2, C1, C0 and C.
For example, for a facility in Zone II that was awarded as a Class C3 allotment, the minimum service contour is at least 29 kilometers, which is the equivalent of about 6.2 kW at 100 meters HAAT. Following the auction, you may be able to request a downgrade in service class.
A Class A FM station must operate a minimum service contour of 6 kilometers, which is the equivalent of 100 watts at 30 meters HAAT. Stations may operate less than 100 watts if their HAAT exceeds 30 meters and the distance to the service contour is 6 km or greater.
Q. If granted, can I propose a directional antenna?
A. Directional antennas are only permitted in full-service in cases where it is needed to provide protection under the §73.215 method or is needed in order to protect foreign allotments. Directional antenna design requirements are much more stricter in full-service FM than they are in LPFM or FM translators as the patterns are limited to a maximum difference in radiation every 10 degrees and a minimum amount of power in all directions. In addition, any directional antenna used in full-service FM must include a proof of performance at the time of construction.
Again.. Please stay tuned to the REC channels (Facebook, website and Substack) for more details about this upcoming auction.
REC IS NOT ACCEPTING PHONE CALLS AT THIS TIME REGARDING THE AUCTION AT THIS TIME. PLEASE SEND ANY QUESTIONS VIA EMAIL TO lpfm@recnet.com AND ALLOW A FEW DAYS FOR A RESPONSE.