They went with the license they did because it's cheaper. They can't just get a regular license at that frequency quickly because, according to the FCC:
> THE FCC IS NOT ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR NEW FM COMMERCIAL BROADCAST STATIONS AT THE PRESENT TIME.
Even if they were, your application just puts the allocation up for the next auction. I don't think the FCC has held an auction in a long time.
I mean, that's the reason they can't ask for one, but I'm more interested in the reason why the FCC said they can't ask for one.
Is it because of pointless administrative gridlock? If so, good on them for finding a way to get around some bureaucrat's unwillingness to wield their approval stamp.
Is it because of some technical reason? Ok, bummer, but that's totally different. If it's someone's bottom line vs a public resource, that's that... but I get the sense the FCC would have said that explicitly, no?
> THE FCC IS NOT ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR NEW FM COMMERCIAL BROADCAST STATIONS AT THE PRESENT TIME.
Even if they were, your application just puts the allocation up for the next auction. I don't think the FCC has held an auction in a long time.
https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/how-to-apply#FM