US Code

Public Law 119-87 (04/30/2026)

47 U.S.C. § 331

Very high frequency stations and AM radio stations

(a)

Very high frequency stations

1

1 So in original. Probably should be followed by “of”.
2
2 See References in Text note below.
It shall be the policy of the Federal Communications Commission to allocate channels for very high frequency commercial television broadcasting in a manner which ensures that not less than one such channel shall be allocated to each State, if technically feasible. In any case in which licensee of a very high frequency commercial television broadcast station notifies the Commission to the effect that such licensee will agree to the reallocation of its channel to a community within a State in which there is allocated no very high frequency commercial television broadcast channel at the time  such notification, the Commission shall, notwithstanding any other provision of law, order such reallocation and issue a license to such licensee for that purpose pursuant to such notification for a term of not to exceed 5 years as provided in section 307(d)  of this title.

(b)

AM radio stations

It shall be the policy of the Commission, in any case in which the licensee of an existing AM daytime-only station located in a community with a population of more than 100,000 persons that lacks a local full-time aural station licensed to that community and that is located within a Class I station primary service area notifies the Commission that such licensee seeks to provide full-time service, to ensure that such a licensee is able to place a principal community contour signal over its entire community of license 24 hours a day, if technically feasible.

June 19, 1934, ch. 652 Pub. L. 97–248, title III, § 35596 Stat. 641 Pub. L. 102–243, § 4105 Stat. 2402 Pub. L. 103–414, title III, § 303(a)(18)108 Stat. 4295 Pub. L. 115–141, div. P, title IV, § 402(i)(5)132 Stat. 1089 (, title III, § 331, as added , , ; amended , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 307 of this titlePub. L. 97–259, title I, § 112(a)96 Stat. 1093 Subsec. (d) of , referred to in subsec. (a), was redesignated subsec. (c) of section 307 by , , .

Codification

section 332 of this titleAnother section 331 of act was renumbered section 332 and is classified to .

Prior Provisions

act June 19, 1934, ch. 652, title III, § 331 Pub. L. 93–107, § 187 Stat. 350 Pub. L. 93–107, § 287 Stat. 351 A prior section 331, , as added , , , related to broadcasting of games of professional sports clubs, prior to repeal by , , , effective .

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–1412018—Subsec. (b). struck out at end: “The Commission shall report to the appropriate committees of Congress within 30 days after , on how it intends to meet this policy goal.”

Pub. L. 103–4141994— amended section catchline generally.

Pub. L. 102–2431991— inserted “and AM radio stations” in section catchline, designated existing provisions as subsec. (a) and inserted heading, and added subsec. (b).