The author is vice president, advanced engineering, for the National Association of Broadcasters.

Broadcast radio technology is evolving rapidly in response to listener preferences and increasingly capable digital infrastructures. If you are involved in the design and operation of broadcast facilities or radio receivers, or simply interested in the future of radio, you should consider becoming a member of the National Radio Systems Committee.

It’s an opportunity to enhance your level of understanding of modern radio systems while collaborating with industry experts to develop technical standards, guidelines and reports that benefit the industry as a whole.

What is the NRSC?

The NRSC is co-sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters and Consumer Technology Association and was formed in the late 1970s to address technical issues with AM radio existing at that time.

Standards, guidelines and reports developed by the NRSC are available for free at nrscstandards.org. Participation in the NRSC is free for NAB broadcaster members and for members of CTA, while others pay a $25 fee per subcommittee per year.

Currently, the NRSC has three subcommittees and three working groups pursuing technical work. Each group is chaired by an NRSC member representative or representatives as shown in the accompanying graphic.

These groups cover the full range of technologies used by broadcasters today, addressing both analog and digital signal generation. The NRSC develops three kinds of documents:

• NRSC Standards — Documents that establish engineering and technical requirements for processes, procedures, practices or methods that have been adopted by consensus. An NRSC standard is normative in nature, however usage of NRSC standards is voluntary. There are four active NRSC standards, shown in the first table.
• NRSC Guidelines — Documents that state specifications or criteria within terrestrial radio broadcast systems that are not strictly necessary for effective implementation and interoperability, but that the NRSC has determined to be advisable and may improve the efficiency of implementation or reduce the probability of implementation errors. An NRSC Guideline is informative, not normative, in nature. There are 10 active NRSC Guidelines, shown in the second table.

• NRSC Reports — A document that describes the results of technical work, including technology surveys and evaluations, which are of benefit to the radio broadcast industry. Many NRSC reports are not authored by the NRSC but rather serve to archive important technical works on radio broadcast technology. NRSC reports may be either strictly informational or may include recommendations for further action, including development of NRSC standards or guidelines. There are currently 39 NRSC reports, including nine on AM radio, 10 on FM radio and 19 dealing with digital radio.

Why join the NRSC?

Whether you’re designing broadcast facilities, involved in receiver design, managing technical operations or simply passionate about radio technology, NRSC membership offers tangible benefits:

• Direct Industry Impact: Help shape the technical standards that define how radio broadcasting operates. Your expertise contributes to documents that broadcasters nationwide rely on.
• Expert Collaboration: Work alongside leading engineers, equipment manufacturers and technical experts. NRSC working groups provide a forum for solving complex technical challenges through collective knowledge.
• Professional Development: Stay at the forefront of broadcast technology. Members gain deep understanding of emerging systems and technologies before they become mainstream.
• Early Access: Participate in developing standards and guidelines while they’re being formulated, giving you advance insight into future technical requirements and best practices.

Current projects making an impact

Here are some key projects being pursued by the NRSC. Most of this activity takes place within the working groups, which hold monthly or semi-monthly meetings via Zoom, while the subcommittees typically hold face-to-face meetings at NAB and CTA trade show events.

• “Next-gen” digital transport — An open standard for transport of audio and data over IP networks is being considered by the ISDWG. This would involve defining profiles for sending an analog multiplex (MPX) signal (also referred to as the “FM baseband”) over DCP (a forward error correction-protected, transport layer digital communications protocol) so that it can align with and be linked to the digital audio simulcast delivered via another DCP stream, eliminating timing issues associated with the HD Radio “blend to analog” feature.
• Digital transmitter power displays — A new NRSC guideline, NRSC-G204, “IBOC Digital Radio Transmitter Power Display Guideline,” is being developed to provide guidance to FM-band transmitter manufacturers on the preferred methods of calculating digital transmitter power (particularly when using asymmetric sidebands) and displaying upper and lower sideband power within the transmitter user interface. Currently, manufacturers utilize a number of different approaches, which causes confusion (and the potential for FCC rule violations) among broadcasters.
• AM boosters — The AIWG has initiated an AM booster project to study coverage and interference issues and to design and test a prototype low-cost AM booster facility. These boosters offer AM broadcasters an opportunity to improve service to listeners, especially in today’s urban environments, which are subject to high levels of RF interference in the AM band.
• AM noise and noise mitigation — Earlier this year, a new report on RF noise and reception in the AM radio band was adopted by the AFAB Subcommittee. NRSC-R102, “Measurement of AM Band RF Noise Levels and Station Signal Attenuation,” documents measurements of RF noise and AM signal levels on various roadway types from open interstate highways to city streets, establishing how the noise affects AM broadcast reception. Audio recordings collected during this effort are now available for review as well. A related effort to develop practical AM receiver improvements using tools available in software-defined radios (SDRs) is also underway.
• RDS usage guideline — The MSWG is preparing an update to NRSC-G300, “RDS Usage Guideline,” last updated in 2018. This is one of the NRSC’s most comprehensive guideline documents and provides valuable, practical information to broadcast engineers about how the Radio Data System (RDS) digital FM subcarrier works and how to make the best use of this technology.

Getting involved

The NRSC Subcommittees will meet on Jan. 6, 2026, in Room W222 of the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, in conjunction with the 2026 CES.

These meetings provide excellent opportunities for new members to observe working group dynamics and meet fellow technical professionals. For more information about NRSC membership and upcoming meetings, or to access the complete library of standards, guidelines and reports, visit nrscstandards.org/.

Radio broadcasting’s technical landscape is evolving rapidly. Whether you’re addressing AM interference challenges, implementing digital broadcasting systems or exploring next-generation transport technologies, the NRSC provides the collaborative framework and technical expertise to move the industry forward. Your participation matters. Join us in shaping radio’s future.

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