MCCI Board meetings are typically on the fourth Wednesday of every month in the MCTV studio at 34 Second Street, Turners Falls, MA 01376. The public is invited to attend. Members are not required, but are encouraged. The schedule of upcoming meetings is listed below.
Low-Power FM Radio to Gain Space on the Dial
By BRIAN STELTER
Published: January 24, 2011
OPELOUSAS, La. — When John Freeman turned on his car radio one recent day and tuned to KOCZ, the voice he heard was a 2-year-old girl’s.
It belonged to Nyla Belton, the daughter of the afternoon D.J., Craig Belton. She’s better known on the air as “D.J. Scribble” and sometimes speaks up between songs.
Mr. Freeman, the station’s executive director, chuckled and pointed to the radio. “That’s what’s special about low-power FM,” he said.
KOCZ’s signal is a mere 100 watts, so low that its reach is only 10 to 15 miles. Mr. Freeman cannot even tune in from his home. But the station has become an unlikely lifeline in this town of 22,000, helping promote local artists and church events in ways that commercial stations either cannot or will not.
Advocates for low-power FM, or LPFM, as it is called, say the stations are a slight corrective to the consolidation of commercial radio. Soon there will be more: this month President Obama signed the Local Community Radio Act, which repeals restrictions on such stations and allows the Federal Communications Commission to give out more 100-watt licenses.
Freeing space on the radio dial for local voices might seem a moot point in an age when anyone can start an Internet radio station. But the appropriation of the public airwaves remains a vital and, for some, very emotional issue.
A majority of Americans “still get their news and culture over the broadcast dial,” said Hannah Sassaman, a longtime advocate of community radio. For Ms. Sassaman and others, this month’s bill signing was the culmination of 10 years of lobbying for more access to the airwaves. “I care about this because I have seen these stations light people up and cause political coverage, local music and community organizing to happen around the country and the world,” Ms. Sassaman said.
KOCZ, for instance, helped to bring zydeco music back to the radio dial in this part of Louisiana. Zydeco, a potent blend of Cajun, rhythm and blues and, among a younger generation, hip-hop, often features accordion and washboard and is a passion of people in the region. It is played on KOCZ every day between 6 and 8 p.m.
“It helps promote that culture — and that’s something that’s very significant for the African-American community here,” said Mr. Freeman, who slyly added that he thought commercial stations had started playing more zydeco since KOCZ started broadcasting in 2002. “They know that we make them better,” he said.
Mr. Freeman describes KOCZ as “a mission.” A retired executive for Bell South, he calls himself a “corporate guy” who became a convert to low-power radio, thanks to Ms. Sassaman and other community organizers. Low-power stations are designated for noncommercial uses, so many are licensed to churches and schools. KOCZ is licensed to the Southern Development Foundation, a civil rights group that grants scholarships and runs a business incubator but has fallen on hard times. The foundation treats the station as a 24-hour form of community outreach.
Shows are hosted by about 20 volunteers like Mr. Belton, who plays R&B and hip-hop on weekday afternoons, and Lena Charles, the chairwoman of the foundation board, who hosts a weekend talk show and held candidate forums for the local elections last year.
“Politically, some people don’t talk to other people,” Ms. Charles said. “But we talk to everybody. We’re a bridge sometimes.”
Each show depends on the underwriting of local sponsors like funeral homes and beauty salons. “Without them, we’d be pretty much shut down,” Mr. Freeman said. Recently three microphones at KOCZ were out of order, forcing guests to share the one remaining mike with the host.
Now low-power stations are few and far between and exist mostly in rural areas, squeezed in among the commercial stations. It isn’t always comfortable. KOCZ has been moved around the dial by the Federal Communications Commission a number of times, mirroring the larger struggle to gain more space for small stations.
The community radio act was passed during the lame-duck session of Congress last month. After President Obama signed the act, Julius Genachowski, the chairman of the F.C.C., called it a “big win” for radio listeners.
“Low-power FM stations are small, but they make a giant contribution to local community programming,” he said in a statement. Notably, the act may make it possible for some low-power outlets to sprout up in urban areas, where they could reach more listeners than a station like KOCZ does. Now it is up to the F.C.C. to start accepting applications for new licenses.
The station in Opelousas has led Mr. Freeman to conclude that bigger is not always better. For KOCZ, smaller is better, because smaller means more local.
One day last year when Mr. Belton was on the air, a woman walked into the station (located in an otherwise unremarkable white-paneled house in the middle of town) and asked for an announcement to be broadcast about her lost dog.
“She was able to get her dog back the next day,” said Helen Pickney, the station manager, still marveling at the story.
KOCZ doesn’t know how many listeners it has, since it is too small to be rated. Mr. Freeman instead cites a different sort of rating: the waiting list for people who want to host a show. There are more than 20 on the list, he said — enough to start a second station.
Looks like the FCC and other frequency clearing website have already updated their databases based on the new law. We are cleared to put up a station as long as we file for it, one way or another.
Senate Joins House in Passing the Local Community Radio Act:
Thousands of community groups rejoice at new opportunity for locally owned media
WASHINGTON, DC -- Today a bill to expand community radio nationwide -- the Local Community Radio Act -- passed the U.S. Senate, thanks to the bipartisan leadership of Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and John McCain (R-AZ). This follows Friday afternoon’s passage of the bill in the House of Representatives, led by Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Lee Terry (R-NE). The bill now awaits the President's signature.
These Congressional champions for community radio joined with the thousands of grassroots advocates and dozens of public interest groups who have fought for ten years to secure this victory for local media. In response to overwhelming grassroots pressure, Congress has given the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) a mandate to license thousands, of new community stations nationwide. This bill marks the first major legislative success for the growing movement for a more democratic media system in the U.S.
“A town without a community radio station is like a town without a library,” said Pete Tridish of the Prometheus Radio Project, the group which has led the fight to expand community radio for ten years. “Many a small town dreamer -- starting with a few friends and bake sale cash -- has successfully launched a llow power station, and built these tiny channels into vibrant town institutions that spotlight school board elections, breathe life into the local music scene, allow people to communicate in their native languages, and give youth an outlet to speak.”
The Local Community Radio Act will expand the low power FM (LPFM) service created by the FCC in 2000 -- a service the FCC created to address the shrinking diversity of voices on the radio dial. Over 800 LPFM stations, all locally owned and non-commercial, are already on the air. The stations are run by non-profit organizations, local governments, churches, schools, and emergency responders.
The bill repeals earlier legislation which had been backed by big broadcasters, including the National Association of Broadcasters. This legislation, the Radio Broadcast Preservation Act of 2000, limited LPFM radio to primarily rural areas. The broadcast lobby groups claimed that the new 100 watt stations could somehow create interference with their own stations, a claim disproven by a Congressionally-mandated study in 2003.
Congressional leaders worked for years to pass this legislation. As the clock wound down on the 111th Congress, they worked with the NAB to amend the bill to enshrine even stronger protections against interference and to ensure the prioritization of full power FM radio stations over low power stations.
Though the amendments to the bill will require some further work at the FCC, low power advocates celebrated the first chance in a decade for groups in cities, towns, and other communities to take their voices to the FM dial.
“After ten years of effort, a $2.2 million taxpayer-funded study, and new provisions to address this hypothetical interference, we are finally on our way to seeing new community radio stations across the U.S. This marks a beginning, not an end, to our work,” said Brandy Doyle, Policy Director for the Prometheus Radio Project. “For the first time, LPFM community radio has a chance to grow, and we’re ready to seize that opportunity.”
“All of us at UCC OC Inc. and at Prometheus express our incredible gratitude to Congressmen Mike Doyle and Lee Terry and Senators Maria Cantwell and John McCain for the leadership and counsel during this process,” said Cheryl Leanza, a board member of the Prometheus Radio Project and a Policy Advisor to the United Church of Christ, Office of Communication, Inc. “Without their work and the work of their committed staff we would not have come this far. At long last the 160 million Americans who have been deprived of the opportunity to apply for a local low power radio station will get a chance to be a part of the American media.”
"I am a leadership organizer from the ranks of the poor working with other low-wage workers fighting for human rights in Maryland," said Veronica Dorsey of the United Workers, a human rights organization in Baltimore. “Low power FM radio would allow the United Workers to expand the message of our End Poverty Radio show, which is currently only available on the internet. End Poverty Radio develops leaders and gives workers a way to tell their stories and be heard – and a low power FM station would reach a lot of people who do not have access to the internet. LPFM is a way for those in the community who are struggling to survive to hear stories that they can relate to, and to know that they are not alone in this struggle for human dignity. We can’t wait to work to build low power FM in communities like ours, so we can accomplish these goals."
“Civil rights groups and community organizations have wanted low power FM radio for years, and now the chance is here,” said Betty Yu, coordinator of the Media Action Grassroots Network, a national media justice network with members in many cities and communities that lost their chance to get low power FM radio stations. “From Seattle, Oakland, and Albuquerque to Minneapolis, San Antonio, Kentucky and Philadelphia, thousands of communities know that having access to our own slice of the dial means a tool to build our movements for justice. We have won something huge in Congress, but the fight is not over. Now we need to work at the FCC to make sure as many licenses as possible can be available in rural communities, towns and suburbs, and America's cities.”
LPFMs have saved lives in powerful storms when big broadcasts lose power or can’t serve local communities in the eye of the storm. WQRZ-LP in Bay St. Louis, MS received awards from President Bush and other organizations post Katrina in 2005, when one of the station operators swam across flood waters with fuel strapped to his back to keep his station on the air. The station proved so important that the Emergency Operations Center of Hancock County set up shop with the LPFM to serve the community after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Bipartisan Senators and House members have expressed support for the Local Community Radio Act as a vital way to expand emergency service media across our nation.
“I’m Frank Bluestein from Germantown, Tennessee, one of the several large suburban cities located just outside of Memphis. We have been fighting for the past 10 years to persuade Congress to give communities like ours the opportunity to establish a low power FM radio station. Our city wants to provide community and civic groups, students of all ages, local artists and others the power to communicate over their own LPFM channel,” said Frank Bluestein, a media teacher and Executive Producer of Germantown Community Television.
"Equally important for Germantown, we need a dedicated communication outlet that will serve the needs of our citizens in the event another tornado rips through town or if any kind of natural disaster hits,” continued Bluestein. “In this day and age, emergency management is a must for a city of our size and LPFM perfectly fits our needs. A low power FM radio station can stay on the air even if the power goes out. Low power FM saved lives during Katrina but strangely, the federal government is banning it from this part of Tennessee. That is not fair or wise. We have the right to be as safe as any other community in the US. After 10 years, now is the time! Congress has passed the Local Community Radio Act, and chances are so much greater that groups in towns like mine can apply for LPFM licenses. Germantown is ready to work here and at the FCC to make licenses for communities like ours possible.”
Grassroots leaders were key in helping Senators understand that expanding low power FM was important and urgent. “Our station provides some of the only local service to Gillette when big storms come through, and it puts great content on the air. That's why so many in our town think it is such a vital resource,” said Pastor Joel Wright of the First Presbyterian Church of Gillette, WY, licensee of KCOV-LP 95.7 FM . “Senators Barrasso and Enzi had concerns about expanding low power FM, but they heard from many Wyoming folks who want these stations, and dropped those concerns. Communities of faith and so many others can celebrate that we've jumped this big hurdle to more license being available in cities, smaller towns, and rural communities nationwide. I look forward to working with many other pastors and groups to launch their own wonderful new community voices.”
"The Media Mobilizing Project works with a huge diversity of leaders across Philadelphia -- from taxi drivers and immigrant communities to students and low wage workers," said Desi Burnette of Philadelphia's Media Mobilizing Project. "Our leaders have been lucky enough to produce multiple programs with WPEB-FM, 88.1 bringing all of these communities together. But WPEB is a 1-watt station, only covering a few city blocks. Now with the passage of the Local Community Radio Act, Philadelphia has a much greater chance of getting at least one 100-watt station of its own. With low power FM in our community, poor and working people across this region would have an incredible tool to learn together, to understand their shared struggles and conditions, and to work to change them."
"Our low power FM radio station has allowed Guatemalan, Haitian, and many other hard-working immigrant farmworkers to communicate in their native languages, and to build the power for dignity and respect in the fields of Southwest Florida," said the Coalition of Immokalee Workers' Gerardo Reyes Chavez. "Our radio station, WCIW -- Radio Consciencia -- has developed womens' leadership, has allowed us too mobilize rapidly in crises, and has helped us transform not just our community but the hundreds of communities inspired by our struggle. We look forward to helping many other farmworkers learn how to build their own stations and how to expand justice on the FM dial."
"In the rural areas we serve and all across the country, low power FMs are poised to celebrate and preserve unique local culture," said Nick Szuberla of Appalshop, a group that uses media to preserve Appalachian culture and tradition while working to improve quality of life. "More low power FMs mean that the vibrant, beautiful, and vital voices of America's rural areas and small towns will shine -- and it will mean sustainable local resources in times of crisis. Low power FM stations can stay on the air in storms and save thousands of lives. Congress and community radio advocates should be proud of the resources they've won for American communities."
“Our group of 150 volunteers here at the Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP) is extremely pleased that the Local Community Radio Act has been passed by Congress, and will be signed into law by our fellow Chicagoan, President Obama,” said Shawn Campbell, a founder of CHIRP. “For three years, CHIRP volunteers and supporters have worked diligently toward the goal of being able to apply for a low power FM broadcast license, and we look forward to working with our national allies and the FCC to make sure new stations are licensed in large markets around the country, including Chicago.”
"For decades, the Esperanza Center has worked in San Antonio and beyond to bring people together across cultures, and to ensure the civil rights and economic justice of everyone," said Graciela Sanchez of the Esperanza Center for Peace and Justice in San Antonio. "Whether we are fighting for the right to publicly protest or to save the water systems of our region, we need to communicate and coordinate to effectively organize. Low power FM in San Antonio can unite people across cultures and issues to work together to make this city better for everyone. We celebrate this victory for everyone and pledge to work with allies to win as many stations as possible for communities nationwide."
Over 10 years, hundreds of groups of all walks of life struggled to bring community radio stations to every community possible, and they cannot all be listed here. We would like to thank the coalition who worked weekly to move this mountain including: Free Press, United Church of Christ Office of Communication, Inc, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Media Access Project, the Future of Music Coalition, the Media and Democracy Coalition, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the National Hispanic Media Coalition, the Benton Foundation, the Prometheus National Advisory Committee and Board of Directors.
We thank those who were instrumental in this final push including: Reclaim the Media, The Media Action Grassroots Network, New America Foundation, Chicago Independent Radio Project, MoveOn.org, Color of Change, the Christian Coalition, and the National Association of Evangelicals, and Spitfire Consulting. Our partners in supporting community media including the National Federation of Community Broadcasters and the Grassroots Radio Coalition, and Media Alliance, Pacifica, REC Networks, the Alliance for Community Media.
We thank those who have helped at key moments throughout these ten years including: United States Public Interest Research Group, Consumers Union, the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center, the United Methodist Church Office of Communication, the Indigo Girls, OK Go, Nicole Atkins, the Microradio List, Amherst Alliance, MIcroradio Implementation Project, Pacifica Radio, Common Frequency, Christian Community Broadcasters, KYES -TV, National Lawyers Guild Committee on Democratic Communications, Virginia Center for the Public Press, every FCC Commissioner since 1999 (except for Harold Furchgott Roth).
We thank our radio barnraising partners who have time and again shown up to represent the best of what LPFM can be: WGXC-FM in Hudson, New York with Free103point9; WMXP-LP in Greenville, South Carolina with the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement; KPCN-LP in Woodburn, Oregon with Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste; WRFU-LP in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois with Radio Free Urbana; WXOJ-LP in Northampton, Massachusetts with Valley Free Radio; WRFN-LP in Pasquo, Tennessee with Radio Free Nashville; WSCA-LP in Portsmouth, New Hampshire with Portsmouth Community Radio; WCIW-LP in Immokalee, Florida with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers; KYRS-LP in Spokane, Washington with Thin Air Community Radio; KOCZ-LP in Opelousas, Louisiana with the Southern Development Foundation; KRBS-LP in Oroville, California with the Bird Street Media Project; and our very first radio barnraising with WRYR-LP in Deale, Maryland with South Arundel Citizens for Responsible Development.
“We've built community radio stations from coast to coast and around the country,” said Hannah Sassaman, a longtime organizer with the Prometheus Radio Project. ‘The faith and perseverance of low power FM's legislative champions and the thousands who pushed the Local Community Radio Act has paid off in incredible ways. After ten years of struggle, it's stunning to know that in the next years, the FCC will work to and begin licensing LPFMs in city neighborhoods, in suburbs and towns, and in rural areas. It's humbling to understand that new young people will gain a love of telling stories at the working end of a microphone or at home listening to their neighbors. And it's powerful to know that these stations will launch leaders in every walk of life to change their communities, and this country. We look forward to launching the next generation of community stations with you.”
The pressure continues to mount for the expansion of community radio nationwide to churches, schools, and community groups nationwide.
After about 50 low power FM broadcasters and groups hoping to build low power FM radio stations converged on the National Association of Broadcasters -- telling them to stop making the Local Community Radio Act, a bipartisan and widely loved bill that would expand community radio, jump through hoops -- trade press, papers of record, and national media picked up the trail.
These stories show that the NAB looks increasingly foolish and isolated for holding to its position in the face of such unified, bipartisan, and widespread support for this issue. One trade outlet, Radio Survivor, notes that the NAB has received so many calls from LPFM supporters that they changed their voicemail to accommodate the calls and messages.
Read below and see attached for a press roundup: and remember, the time is now to expand low power FM radio. Please support and work to pass Senate Bill 592, the Local Community Radio Act, in this Congress.
Please contact info@prometheusradio.org if you have any questions or concerns about this vital legislation, which would expand community radio to save lives, put local voices of faith and family on the air, and strengthen our towns and communities.
Radio Survivor -- From Hoops to NPR and Voicemail: Today's Action in LPFM http://www.radiosurv...days-action-in-lpfm/
This article notes that the NAB has received so many calls from LPFM supporters that they changed their voicemail to accommodate the calls and messages.
Communications Daily -- Senate Hold Delays Vote to Expand LPFM to Larger Markets, Advocates Say, 12/15/2010 http://prometheusradio.org/node/2433
Democracy Now! -- Backers Hold Rally for Local Community Radio Act http://www.democracy..._community_radio_act
beginning at 9.20, or click here for just the segment on low power FM --
Community Radio Station Hopefuls Hula Hoop in Front of
the National Association of Broadcasters, asking CEO Gordon Smith:
Stop Making Low Power FM Radio Jump Through Hoops!
From Washington State to the Chesapeake Bay,
Teachers, Pastors, and Citizens Push Congress to Expand Low Power FM
WASHINGTON, DC – Executives at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), the lobby group representing large commercial broadcast stations across the United States, were surprised to look out their windows today to see a veritable circus of community radio supporters.
Dozens of people hula-hooped, juggled, and asked NAB chief Gordon Smith, former Senator from Oregon, to stop blocking a bill that would expand access to 100-watt low power FM (LPFM) noncommercial community radio stations across the US – the Local Community Radio Act, HR 1147 and SB 592.
They cheered at the NAB, “Stop making us jump through hoops! Support low power FM radio and the Local Community Radio Act!” They also asked their Congressional leaders to pass this widely loved and bipartisan bill before the end of the 111th Congress.
“Low power FM radio stations not only put local music, news, and political debates on the FM dial, they saved lives after Hurricane Katrina because they put up-to-the-minute local information on the air – and they are small and flexible enough to keep running with a car battery when the power goes out,” said Pete Tridish, an organizer with the Prometheus Radio Project , a nonprofit that supports low power FM radio stations nationwide. “By passing this bill today, Congress will be supporting thousands of constituent organizations instead of bowing to one big broadcast lobby’s wishes. Gordon Smith is silencing voices across the country by opposing the expansion of community radio. So we’re here to say: Gordon Smith, don’t make a circus of our democracy – stop making us jump through hoops; work with Congress to pass this bill.”
There are about 800 stations on the air across the US, but thousands of other groups were unable to get licenses when LPFM was established in 2000. The Local Community Radio Act, which would expand LPFM, sailed through the House in 2009, and has broad bipartisan support in the Senate. But news reports showed that NAB CEO and former Senator Gordon Smith is organizing secret Senate holds on the bill to kill it . The NAB claimed that they were working to compromise or negotiate on expanding low power FM radio, but as of Monday the 13th, they had rejected every offer that Senate sponsors and LPFM advocates have brought before them.
“Over the 111th Congress, community radio advocates worked with Congress to add 9 changes to the Local Community Radio Act, all suggested by LPFM critics,” continued Tridish. “But the NAB insists that every demand they’ve made be met before they stop asking Senators to block passage of the bill. They want to force the FCC to use an old, archaic way of finding spots for LPFM stations that no other radio broadcasters are required to use anymore for licensing. If the FCC were forced to use this method of licensing LPFM, there’d be no room for more LPFMs anywhere but unpopulated areas and America’s smallest towns.”
“Our station provides some of the only local service to Gillette when big storms come through, and it puts great content on the air. That's why so many in our town think it is such a vital resource. When I heard Senator Barrasso (R-WY) was holding up a bill to expand community radio, I called him up and explained to his office the work we do on our low power FM,” said Pastor Joel Wright of the First Presbyterian Church of Gillette, WY, licensee of KCOV-LP 95.7 FM . “Senator Barrasso dropped his hold when he learned how stations like ours serve seniors, faith communities, and local leaders everywhere. If the NAB stops this hoop-la and tells the Senate to stop blocking the bill, thousands of groups in cities and other communities can get low power FM radio stations like we have here in Gillette.”
Hundreds of diverse groups support expanding low power FM radio nationwide, including emergency responders, national civil rights and faith-based organizations, and many others. They have waited years for the opportunity to serve their communities, but the FCC has been unable to give out licenses to them because Congress restricted LPFM. The National Association of Broadcasters has informed Senators that there are thousands of license slots available across the US – without noting that most of those slots are in unpopulated areas like deserts, news reports have shown.
“I work with poor people and workers in Baltimore. In this economy, it is hard to get the word out about how to find better jobs and to make the places we work dignified for everybody,” said Veronica Dorsey, of the United Workers, a human rights organization in Baltimore. “We make radio pieces with lots of people, but can only distribute them online, and more folks have access to the radio than the internet. Many folks work 2-3 jobs and don’t have time to come together with us or hear our stories online – and a radio station would change that. We could speak to everyone and help make Baltimore a better place. That’s why we’re asking Congress to pass the Local Community Radio Act, and why we’re asking the National Association of Broadcasters to stop making low power FM radio jump through hoops. Let’s pass this bill!”
“Civil rights groups and community organizations have wanted low power FM radio for years, and now the chance is almost here,” said Betty Yu, coordinator of the Media Action Grassroots Networ k, a national media justice network with members in many cities that lost their chance to get low power FM radio stations. “This circus is a celebration of what the future of the radio dial can be. Our communities invite Gordon Smith and NAB to stop making us jump through hoops, and to help communities serve their neighbors with their own slice of the FM airwaves.”
LPFMs have saved lives in powerful storms when big broadcasts lose power or can’t serve local communities in the eye of the storm. WQRZ-LP in Bay St. Louis, MS received awards from President Bush and other organizations post Katrina in 2005, when one of the station operators swam across floodwaters with fuel strapped to his back to keep his station on the air. The station proved so important that the Emergency Operations Center of Hancock County set up shop with the LPFM to serve the community after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Bipartisan Senators and House members have expressed support for the Local Community Radio Act as a vital way to expand emergency service media across our nation.
“I’m Frank Bluestein from Germantown, Tennessee, one of the several large suburban cities located just outside of Memphis. We have been fighting for the past 10 years to persuade Congress to give communities like ours the opportunity to establish a low power FM radio station. Our city wants to provide community and civic groups, students of all ages, local artists and others the power to communicate over their own LPFM channel,” said Frank Bluestein, a media teacher and Executive Producer of Germantown Community TV.
"Equally important for Germantown, we need a dedicated communication outlet that will serve the needs of our citizens in the event another tornado rips through town or if any kind of natural disaster hits,” continued Bluestein. “In this day and age, emergency management is a must for a city of our size and LPFM perfectly fits our needs. A low power FM radio station can stay on the air even if the power goes out. Low power FM saved lives during Katrina but strangely, the federal government is banning it from this part of Tennessee. That is not fair or wise. We have the right to be as safe as any other community in the US. Congress should stand up for the people and get this bill done, and Gordon Smith and the powers that be at the NAB should stand aside and help us and other communities like ours get Low Power FM radio. After 10 years, it is time!”
“I’m a founder of WRYR-LP, 97.5 FM in Sherwood, Maryland,” said Mike Shay of WRYR-LP, 97.5 FM in Sherwood, Maryland, on the Cheseapeake Bay. “We got one of the rare low power FM frequencies in 2000 and we’ve been on-air for 8 years. Our town loves us because we put music, youth, political and cultural leaders that would never be heard on the dial – and we’ve taught dozens to become producers and makers of community media nationwide. Now is the time to expand LPFM! NAB, end this hoop-la, and Congress, bring community radio to every city and town by passing Senate Bill 592.”
It appears that WGAJ sold their radio license to WFCR, who is using the tower as a repeater. So, that frequency is now broadcasting again, as WFCR. This means that we can no longer hope to go to the FCC and appear the decision to deny our Change Request, based on the fact that WGAJ is no longer broadcasting.
So, now our only hope is to get the new law passed, and then ask Olver to enact a law decreeing we be licensed by grandfathering our Change Request of 2007.
WGAJ (91.7 FM) was a radio station broadcasting a Album Oriented Rock format. Licensed to Deerfield, Massachusetts, USA. The station was formerly owned by Trustees of Deerfield Academy. WGAJ FM went silent on May 19, 2009.
In July 2010 the Trustees of Deerfield Academy filed with the Federal Communications Commission to assign WGAJ's license to WFCR Foundation, Inc., owner of WFCR in Amherst, Massachusetts. The sale price was $10,000. The commission approved the sale on August 19, 2010.
I just called both senators and found that neither had a position on the Local Community Radio Act, bill S592.
Please call them both, now, and voice your support for the bill.
Kerry, John F. - (D) - (202) 224-2742
Brown, Scott P. - (R) - (202) 224-4543
Tell them your local public access TV station has a construction permit to build a LPFM station, but cannot start until the 3rd Adjacency law is repealed, with the passage of this act.
The Local Community Radio Act is now poised to pass! On March 10, 2010 S592 was finally placed on the calendar and reported out of Committee, making the bill ready for a vote of approval from the Senate. With this bureaucratic piece of process behind us, we are just a few steps away from passing the Local Community Radio Act. After passing out of the Full House of Representatives in December, all that remains is for the bill to be voted out of the Senate and then signed into law by the President.
Along with the sponsors of the legislation, Sens. Cantwell (WA) and McCain (AZ), the cosponsors of the legislation are a strong group of high-ranking Senators who have the power to push this bill towards passage this session. Among them are, Durbin (IL), Feingold (WI), Leahy (VT), Merkley (OR), Sanders (VT), and Schumer (NY)
In Senator Durbin's home-state, the Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP) is working hard for the passage of the Local Community Radio Act so that their newly-launched internet station can make its way onto the FM band.
CHIRP is dedicated to providing Chicago residents with a community radio station focused on the representation of local people, events, and issues alongside a wide array of local and independent music. They seek to promote localism, diversity, and independence in public broadcasting via programming and web content curated, created, and produced by Chicagoans.
While there are many urban groups interested in getting an opportunity to broadcast for the first time, there are also many rural communities that stand to benefit from the passage of the Local Community Radio Act. At the recent FCC media ownership hearings, Mike Willis of Lake Murray, South Carolina was among several supporters who used the public hearing to ask South Carolina’s legislators to expand the low power service with the Local Community Radio Act.
“We want to urge the US Senators from South Carolina to support this legislation. We have not yet had Senator Jim DeMint’s support, and we are calling on him to help us pass this important bill this spring,” said Willis, who hopes to start a low power station for his community.
With the reporting phase of the legislation complete, we expect quick movement to pass this bill through Unanimous Consent. We will need every Senator to commit to supporting LPFM this spring. If you have not yet called your Senator's office, urge them to support S592 so that low power radio can be expanded across the United States.
Call our Senators and ask them to support S592- the Local Community Radio Act.
Kerry, John F. - (D) - (202) 224-2742
Brown, Scott P. - (R) - (202) 224-4543
1) Call and ask to speak to the staff person who covers telecom issues.
2) Tell the telecom staffer, either over the phone or on their voice mail:
"I am a constituent from Montague and I am calling to urge [Senator's name] to support S592, which expands the Low Power FM radio service, creating opportunities for local community media outlets in our district. The Local Community Radio Act is advancing rapidly and will shortly be hotlined through the Senate. Can I count on the Senator's support?”
Local Community Radio Act: One Step Closer to the Finish Line
November 19, 2009
This morning, the Local Community Radio Act (S592) passed unanimously out of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation with a voice vote. Both the Senate and House versions of the bill are on their way to full floor votes.
By repealing restrictions placed on the FCC in 2000, the Local Community Radio Act would allow hundreds of new licenses for low power FM stations.
Gary Galloway, Communications Leader for a county emergency response task force in Newton County, Mississippi spent the week in DC telling lawmakers his story about the life-saving role of low power radio during a crisis. After hurricanes Katrina and Rita ravaged Louisiana and coastal Mississippi, Galloway worked with the Hancock County Emergency Management Team in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi to reach out to the public. Broadcasting nightly on low power station WQRZ, Galloway was able to provide essential information about road closures and where people could go to get food, water, and medical care.
“My team has been deployed to tornado outbreaks, hurricanes, plane crashes, pipeline explosions, and other disasters that exceed the capability of local government. My experiences have taught me that low power FM is a crucial tool for Emergency Management to communicate with citizens when lives and property are in jeopardy,” said Galloway.
Galloway met with the offices of Senator Cochran (R-MS), a former cosponsor of the legislation, Senator Wicker (R-MS), and Senator Vitter (R-LA), who voted in support of the legislation this morning.
Because low power radio stations broadcast at less than 100 watts, they can run from generators during power outages—sometimes even operating on a car battery. Non-commercial, locally based, and volunteer-run low power radio stations respond to community needs in ways that larger stations cannot.
Cory Fischer-Hoffman, Campaign Director for the Prometheus Radio Project said that disasters are not the only time when the public lacks access to local news.
“Low power radio is not only essential in times of an environmental crisis, but is also essential in addressing the crisis in our media system,” said Fischer-Hoffman. “There are few alternatives for genuinely local programming, and people want news and information relevant to their own neighborhoods and towns.”
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX), the ranking Republican on the Senate Committee, also noted the potential of low power radio in changing the face of media ownership.
“[Low power FM] is good way for women and minorities to gain experience in broadcasting that may not otherwise be possible given the expense of operating a full power station,” said Senator Hutchinson.
The Local Community Radio Act is co-sponsored in the Senate by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and John McCain (R-AZ). While this Senate legislation has passed out of committee in the previous two sessions, this year marks the first time that the House version passed through the House Subcommittee and Committee.
Senator Cantwell said that improving emergency response and broadening the diversity of media ownership are key reasons why she supports this legislation.
“I am optimistic that we can effectively cross the finish line on this issue this Congress,” said Senator Cantwell.
House Advances Measure to Create Hundreds of New Low Power FM Radio Stations
The Local Community Radio Act of 2009 is on its way to a full House vote after sailing through the Energy and Commerce Committee with little opposition. The measure would repeal legislation which requires the FCC to protect full-power broadcasters from interference from Low Power FM stations being placed on third-adjacent channels. We speak to Democratic Rep. Mike Doyle, a co-sponsor of the bill; and Cory Fischer-Hoffman, campaign director of the Prometheus Radio Project.
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The Local Community Radio Act Surges Ahead in Washington
October 20, 2009
This month, the Local Community Radio Act passed out of both the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet and the House Committee on Energy and Commerce by voice votes. This is the farthest the bill has gone since it was first introduced in 2005, and we’re expecting it to go farther still. Passing out of the Subcommittee and Committee are two major hurtles for the bill that we can now mark as COMPLETE!
“All I can say is, it’s about time,” Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) said of the passage out of Subcommittee.
A mere one week later, on October 15, the Energy and Commerce Committee unanimously passed the Local Community Radio Act.
“We are sounding the alarm,” said Cory Fischer-Hoffman, Campaign Director at the Prometheus Radio Project. “Passage out of full committee signals that Congress is finally ready to act on local community radio. Now is the time for everyone who wants a voice in their community to urge their Congressional Representatives to support HR 1147.”
Big broadcasters have historically opposed the Local Community Radio Act, claiming that LPFM could cause interference to full power stations, a concern later disproved by a Congressionally mandated study. But with unanimous FCC support, strong bipartisan co-sponsorship, and grassroots momentum, they are finally allowing the bill to move forward.
The bill has also recently gained the support of its former skeptics in Congress, including Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), the only former broadcaster on the committee, and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), a lead co-sponsor of the bill that originally restricted low power radio in 2000.
Engineering concerns have been resolved and the bill’s major opponents have stepped down. What’s left to do before the House floor vote later this month? This Actober, we need to show Congress that the people want low power! Our representatives need to hear that this issue matters. With so many controversial issues debated in Congress this fall, low power radio is a bipartisan no-brainer–but it needs your support to make it onto the agenda!
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Energy and Commerce Committee Unanimously Supports Local Community Radio Act
October 15, 2009
Bill Moving Swiftly Toward Full House Vote
With a unanimous voice vote, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Local Community Radio Act this morning. By repealing restrictions that drastically limit channels available to low power FM (LPFM) stations, the Act will allow hundreds of community groups nationwide to access the public airwaves.
The popular, bipartisan legislation is on the fast track to becoming law. Shortly after all five FCC Commissioners reaffirmed the FCC’s longstanding support, the bill passed out of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet by a voice vote. After today’s passage out of committee, the Local Community Radio Act heads for a floor vote in the House.
In his opening remarks today, Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) urged his colleagues to support the bill.
“As a longtime advocate of expanding low power FM radio services and the dynamic contribution they make to localism, a bedrock of our communications laws, I am pleased that the Committee is acting on this important bipartisan measure. Low power FM stations provide diverse, locally-originated programming that serves the needs of the community,” said Rep. Waxman.
Lead co-sponsor Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA) noted that earlier concerns about potential interference with full power stations have been addressed.
“We are proud to have the support of many incumbent broadcasters for our legislation,” said Rep. Doyle. “We made changes during the subcommittee’s consideration of the bill to resolve concerns from other incumbent broadcasters, and we are especially pleased that National Public Radio expressed their appreciation of these changes.”
The bill has recently gained the support of its former skeptics in Congress, including Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), the only former broadcaster on the committee. Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), a lead co-sponsor of the bill that originally restricted low power radio in 2000, also now supports the legislation.
Hundreds of groups across the country are organizing for the opportunity to have their own radio stations. One of the most active among these is the Chicago Independent Radio Project (CHIRP).
“Our goal is to provide Chicago with a showcase for the city’s diverse music and arts scenes and to cover local news stories too often overlooked by bigger media outlets,” said Shawn Campbell, President of CHIRP. “Our 140 volunteers are true believers in radio that is live, local, and truly connected to community. We are ready to start broadcasting original content around the clock as soon we are given the chance.”
Advocates say that today’s vote is a call to action for supporters of local media.
“We are sounding the alarm,” said Cory Fischer-Hoffman, Campaign Director at the Prometheus Radio Project. “Passage out of full committee signals that Congress is finally ready to act on local community radio. Now is the time for everyone who wants a voice in their community to urge their Congressional Representatives to support HR 1147.”
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Low Power Radio Triumphs over Big Broadcasters in Washington
October 8, 2009
Local Community Radio Act Sweeps House Subcommittee in 15 to 1 vote
The Local Community Radio Act was passed out of the House Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet this morning in a sweeping 15 to 1 vote. The Act would allow for the creation of hundreds of new, low power FM (LPFM) radio stations that would broadcast community news and local perspectives to neighborhoods across the country.
“All I can say is, it’s about time,” said Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), a co-sponsor of the bill. “It was absurd and ridiculous that broadcasters went to such great lengths to block the public from having some small measure of access to the airwaves, and disgraceful that we had to spend more two million dollars to prove what the FCC already had shown—that LPFM would not interfere with full power stations.”
Big broadcasters have historically opposed the Local Community Radio Act, claiming that LPFM could cause interference to full power stations, a concern later disproven by a Congressionally mandated study. But with unanimous FCC support, strong bipartisan co-sponsorship, and grassroots momentum, even industry news is now predicting a win. “We do not expect that there is any stopping it at this point,” the Radio Business Report commented this morning.
“The bill still has a long way to go in the legislative process, but I am optimistic that by the end of the year the Local Community Radio Act will be signed into law,” said Congressman Doyle (D-PA), lead co-sponsor of the bill with Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE).
The bill gained the support of former doubters of LPFM, including Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL), a former lead co-sponsor of anti-LPFM legislation and ranking Republican on the subcommittee, Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), the only former broadcaster in Congress, and Rep. John Dingell (D-MI), who called for the study of LPFM interference in 2000.
“Today’s vote signals a policy shift towards more local and diverse media,” said Cory Fischer-Hoffman, Campaign Director for the Prometheus Radio Project. “We need to use this momentum to push for full passage of the Local Community Radio Act so groups working tirelessly to have a voice in their communities can start building stations.”
Hundreds of groups—including schools, churches, and emergency responders—were denied licenses in 2000 after Congress blocked the FCC from handing them out in crowded media markets.
Advocates point to the successes of existing low power FM stations to prove their value to communities. “When Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf, low power radio was the only source of emergency information in a number of counties. Residents in East Texas tuned their battery-operated radios to KZQX-LP while they waited a week for power to be restored,” said Andalusia Knoll, Community Station Director at the Prometheus Radio Project. “In Louisiana, KOCZ-LP has proven essential to the cultural survival of Zydeco music, which is rarely heard on the airwaves. And low power station WRYR hosts public debate about the environmental impacts of development on the Chesapeake Bay.”
“Congress should act swiftly to pass LPFM and support the families, workers, and places of worship that serve as the anchors in our communities,” said Joel Kelsey, Policy Analyst at Consumers Union.
Nancy Zirkin of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights added, “In an era of mass media consolidation, we in the civil rights community believe that it is critical to promote diverse ownership and diverse viewpoints over the public airwaves, and we look forward to the passage of this bill into law.”
The Local Community Radio Act is now poised to move to the full Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by longtime LPFM supporter Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA).
Sad to say, our Construction Permit expires on Monday, August 18. It’s not looking like we’ll get a valid broadcasting license, and thus no low power radio station for Montague. Our only hope at this point is being grandfathered-in whenever the local community radio bill passes, since we did request an FCC change back in 2006. Let’s see, and hope.
Greetings from Prometheus Radio! It’s coming down to the wire for Low Power FM at the Federal Communications Commission -- and we need your help! The deadline for your comments on a crucial low power radio proceeding at the FCC is today -- Monday, April 7 -- at midnight. Take a minute now to tell the FCC that you support Low Power FM!
File FCC Comments Now to Make Sure There’s Room for Low Power Radio!
The FCC is currently accepting your comments on the future of Low Power FM -- but time is running out! Comments are due midnight on Monday, April 7. Now is the time to make your voice heard as the FCC decides on rules which will have a big impact on whether there’s room in your town for new local community radio stations or more of the same schlock we’re all sick of -- it will take only a minute of your time and will mean a lot if you want a radio station in your community!
We are hot on the trail of expanding low power community radio around the country, both in Congress and at the FCC. Thanks to the efforts of low power radio supporters like you, the Local Community Radio Act -- which will lift the restrictions on Low Power FM -- has almost 80 co-sponsors in the House of Representatives and last fall unanimously passed the Senate Commerce Committee.
This is your chance to tell the FCC to ensure that there are spots on the dial for low power radio -- as they decide how to establish a fair balance between the right of your community group to have one single channel for a local community radio station versus the right of existing stations to repeat themselves on 2nd, 3rd, 97th and 821st channels across the country.
We think it should run like the school lunch line -- every one gets at least a reasonable opportunity for a first portion, before anyone gets seconds.
The more the FCC hears the stories of folks like yourself, the better all of our chances are of convincing them to change their policies and make more LPFM channels available. Feel free to forward this email to other people whose comments you think will also make a difference!
File Comments at the FCC to Make Sure There’s Room for Low Power radio!
PS -- Want more background on the questions being asked in the FCC rulemaking to bring more low power FM radio stations to your communities? Check out this document by REC Networks:
Here is the exchange between Olver’s aid Sara Merriam and myself, with some follow-up by Kate Blofson and Hannah Sussman from Prometheus...
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To: Merriam, Sara (Congressman Olver’s aid)
From: Michael Muller
Date: Monday, January 28, 2008 10:18 AM
Subject: Montague Low Power FM
Sara,
My name is Michael Muller and I am the president of Montague Community Cable, Inc., a non-profit registered in Massachusetts that runs Montague’s PEG Access TV station. I am writing to bring attention to an issue we are having with a Low Power FM license we were issued in 2005.
We applied for a LPFM license back in 2000 and were granted an 18-month construction permit in August of 2005. We have not yet begin construction of a station, and had the 18-month CP period extended another 18-months ’till August of 2008. The problem with the licensed site is that a full-power commercial FM station moved their transmitter from Pittsfield to the Mt. Toby range and now completely obliterates our location.
We have found a new location, a better location in fact, and a spot on the dial that only has a college radio station at the edge of interference -- what’s called a "Third Adjacent" -- but the FCC won’t grant the location and channel change because of a law set by congress in the early 1990’s (I think). Rep. Olver has already sent the FCC a letter on our behalf asking for a waiver and he received back a kurt reply essentially saying it was congress’ fault that we’re being denied, despite the fact that the FCC thinks the law shouldn’t exist.
Well, there’s an opportunity to remedy the situation. There’s a bill before congress right now, House Bill 2802, also called the Local Community Radio Act, introduced by Congressmembers Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Lee Terry (R-NE). The Senate passed an identical bill unanimously in October, and the House bill is strongly supported by a diversity of members across the House, and is poised for Committee action in the next weeks/months.
Please ask Congressman Olver to sign onto the bill, and extend all efforts to get it passed in time for us to begin construction of our station in the new location.
Believe it or not we will be able to get a station up pretty quick. The new location has an existing tower and a cinderblock shack with electric service. All we need to do is buy an antennea, some cabling, and a transmitter. We have the playback system already. That said, we’re not going to buy anything else until we have a valid, legal Construction Permit, which can only be obtained by the passage of the bill.
Please urge Congressman Olver to help us with this.
Thanks,
Michael Muller, president
Montague Community Cable, Inc.
(413) 320-5336
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To: Michael Muller
From: Merriam, Sara
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:16 AM
Michael,
Thank you very much for contacting me. I apologize that it took me a couple of days to get back to you - I have been researching the issues you mentioned in your email. In fact, yesterday I met with Kate Blofson from Prometheus. She briefed me on your situation.
I am inclined to sign John Olver on to HR 2802. The bill seems to make good sense, and would help your station. I will run signing on by our Legislative Director (who is unfortunately out sick today).
After he gives me the go ahead, I’ll sign Rep. Olver on.
Also, please let me know if there is anything else we can do from the DC office to assist you in your dealings with the FCC.
I’ll send you an update email after I receive the go ahead from the LD (hopefully tomorrow).
Thanks again for touching base.
Sara
Sara Merriam
Communications Director/Telecom LA
Congressman John W. Olver
202.225.5335
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To: Merriam, Sara
From: Michael Muller
Date: Wed, January 30, 2008 10:20 AM
Sara,
Thanks for getting back to me. Please let me know as soon as something happens. Please also ask Cong. Olver to do whatever he can to fast track the passage of the bill. Once that happens we can contact the FCC to approve the change request we made back in 2006 and we’ll be off and running.
Thanks again,
Michael
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To: Michael Muller
From: Merriam, Sara
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 10:25 AM
Michael,
I will definitely keep you in the loop. I will also thoroughly brief the Congressman. As an appropriations subcommittee chair, his voice carries a lot of weight. Perhaps after we sign on to the bill we can send a letter to the subcommittee requesting that this go to the floor as soon as possible. Then, when the bill is on the floor, we could submit a statement in support of the bill for the congressional record.
-- Sara
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To: Michael Muller
From: Katharan @ Prometheus Radio
Cc: Andy Gunn, Sara Cederberg, Hannah Jane Sassaman
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:29:50 -0500
Wooooo! This is great news. Glad that Sara contacted you so quickly -- she was very attentive in our (extensive! your situation is complicated!) meeting yesterday. More soon -- I’m swamped -- but I have another proposal for you, you may be hearing from me by phone today...
I told her that another thing that Olver could do for your specific situation would be to write a letter to the FCC encouraging them to resolve your situation (perhaps with a 2nd adjacency waiver for the time being, I’ve copied andy on this) -- I think Olver has done this before, and we have a couple of other examples of letters reps have written to the fcc on behalf of other stations.
If he could fast-track the bill... whoaaaaa... that would be the best news we’ve heard and we would all be jumping in our little basement bonnets!
Much awesomeness!
Kate
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To: katharan @ prometheusradio
From: Hannah Jane Sassaman
Cc: Michael Muller, andy gunn, Sara Cederberg
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2008 13:34:11
I’ll be sending this along to Kenneth Degraff in Doyle’s office. The thing to ask Sara in Olver’s office to do is to send a letter to Markey’s office, or to talk with Colin Crowell over there, about fast-tracking the bill. The fact that a constituent is suffering without expanded LPFM in Massachusetts should influence him.
Thanks Kate, Sara C., and Michael for this amazing work!
Hannah S.
Prometheus Radio Project
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To: Michael Muller
From: Merriam, Sara
Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 14:43:41
Michael,
I just signed John Olver on to the bill as a cosponsor. Thanks again for touching base on this. I’ll be sure to keep you in the loop as this bill moves forward.
Best,
--Sara
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To: Sara Merriam
Cc: Michael Muller
From: katharan @ prometheusradio
Subject: Expanding LPFM across MA: thanks!
Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008 09:47:51
Hey Sara,
I just wanted to extend a big thank you for your efforts on behalf of Montague and Mr. Muller -- and Low Power FM. And also for taking the time to meet with my colleague Sara and myself last week about expanding LPFM, and the issues Montague is facing with their license.
We’re still working with Michael as far as best options with the FCC as he awaits (and hopes for!) passage of the bill before his Construction Permit expires later this year. We’ll keep you posted.
Do let me know if you have any more questions, and we’re very enthused indeed that Mr. Olver has signed on as a co-sponsor!
This afternoon I spoke with Kate at Prometheus about MCTV’s Low Power FM license, and the legislation going through the Senate and the House regarding "third adjacent" issues. This is her email back to me for the purposes of sharing with the community. -Mik
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Michael,
Thanks for the talk.
The Local Community Radio Act (HR 2802 and S 1675) has bipartisan support in Congress: the bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee in late October 2007 by unanimous vote, and the identical companion legislation in the House has 65 bipartisan co-sponsors. This legislation would lift the 3rd-adjacency restrictions on LPFM (yup, those same ones that are keeping MCTV from that great frequency & hill-top location). We are working hard to gain more co-sponsors in the House and Senate, which keeps the momentum up -- and to do that we depend on our allies like MCTV across the country, who have been contacting their representatives about this issue.
So, contact Rep. Olver to explain your station’s situation -- which is a heartbreakingly perfect example of why Congress needs to lift the 3rd adjacency restrictions -- and to ask him to show their support by co-sponsoring the Local Community Radio Act.
You can contact him at 202-225-5335 and say something like this:
"Hi, my name is ______________, and I’m a constituent of Congressmember Olver. We need access to more local media to support workers, families, and communities across our area and across the state. Senators John McCain and Maria Cantwell, and Congressman Doyle and Congressman Terry introduced legislation to expand Low Power FM radio to our area and to many of America’s biggest cities. I ask Congressmember Olver to cosponsor this bill, the Local Community radio Act of 2007 -- HR 2802, and Senate Bill 1675. I want my LPFM station! Thank you."
We need you to do this today. Please make this call to your Congressmember now, and forward this note to others who care about community radio!
You can also call Senator Kennedy at 202-224-4543 as well as Senator Kerry at 202-224-2742 and say essentially the same thing.
On Tuesday, November 20th, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it was ready to pass a set of provisions amending the rules that govern the low power FM radio (LPFM) service -- a noncommercial radio service that hundreds of schools, churches, municipalities, and community groups use to connect with their local communities. Below is the press statement of Pete Tridish, founder of the Prometheus Radio Project, on the announcement.
"In recent weeks, the Federal Communications Commission, and FCC Chairman Kevin Martin, have made strong public statements about supporting the low power FM radio service, and the vital work that it does nationwide. As the commission works at its November 27th meeting to make decisions about the future of LPFM, they must lay the groundwork to ensure that LPFM will not only be available in rural areas in the future. They must also protect the low power stations from losing their frequencies to full power stations that encroach upon their signals, and threaten to knock them off the air.
As a diverse set of groups, including Prometheus, have proposed over recent years, the FCC must prioritize local low power FM radio stations over translator chains fed by distant signals. The FCC has frozen the granting of translator licenses for the time being, to investigate the practices of these chains and to balance the priority of distant translator use with the needs of local radio. The FCC cannot move to lift the current freeze on the granting of licenses to these translator chains without prioritizing local radio over these distant-fed translators. Without remedying this problem, the Commission is telling the American public that they are prioritizing these distant voices, once and for all, and informing local groups that would like one single, local, hundred-watt-or-less radio station that there is no room on the dial left for them.
When Congress temporarily limited LPFM in 2000, they mandated that the FCC study whether or not there would be room for these vital stations in America’s cities and smaller communities. During the exact moment when this study and its technical field tests were being completed in 2003, the FCC made the mistake of allowing a handful of speculators to apply for translator licenses on thousands of the very same channels that had been promised for LPFM use. When it comes to translators and low power FM radio stations, the FCC allocates spectrum based simply upon who filed their application first. If the FCC chooses to prioritize these translator applicants, all of the frequencies that the FCC designed for LPFM use back in 2000 will have been given away.
In that 2003 window, a single translator applicant applied for 2500 licenses to broadcast, nationwide. One radio station currently has 792 translator applications repeating its signal.
In 2005, the FCC wisely froze translator applications like those listed above in order to find an intelligent resolution. In recent statements, Chairman Martin announced a limited proposal to reject some of these applicants, but if the FCC wants to support low power FM radio, they have a lot of work to do.
No matter what happens in Congress, LPFM will only be available in America’s cities if the FCC acts to make room for it. The Commission needs to revise the spectrum priority relationship between LPFMs and these distant translator chains. There are a number of ways that this can be done without affecting the legitimate use of repeating stations by local networks.
In terms of low power FM stations being encroached upon by full power stations that want their signals -- while dozens of stations are under threat of this happening in the next weeks or months, the Commission and its staff should be commended for the work they’ve done, case by case, to make room for both these threatened stations and the full power stations moving into their path.
We encourage the Commission to continue to address the simplest displacement cases now and relieve the hold up on some of these less problematic encroachments. The few, tougher cases should remain on hold for settlement until, through further comment, more innovative solutions are found. Also, hasty judgment should not be made on the fate of low power stations suffering dramatically increased interference through encroachments -- more solutions can be found in these cases after further comment. Another excellent option for frequency availability for LPFMs at the disposal of the Commission is to use more detailed engineering methods -- methods which can open up a limited number of new options for communities. This could be exciting if the order of application problem (between the chains that got an opportunity to apply before communities got their chance) were resolved.
The statements that the FCC and Chairman Martin have made on the small ameliorative measures they might take for LPFM are helpful and well intentioned, and we’d like to give credit where credit is due -- but all of these measures pale in contrast to the prospect of America’s cities never getting a fair chance at low power radio, and the importance of keeping low power FM radio stations serving their full communities.
Prometheus would heartily congratulate the hard work of the Chairman Martin and the FCC staff on this new low power notice, so long as the Commission does not:
1) foreclose the LPFM opportunity in the cities by ignoring the translator/LPFM priority problem, and
2) make hasty judgment on the hardest encroachment cases, and cases that do not involve displacement but do involve significant interference. These should be resolved after another round of comment and creative problem solving."
Attending the Future of Music Policy Summit in Washington, attorney David Oxenford of Davis Wright Tremaine writes in his blog that at a panel about legislative matters affecting music, “only one issue was perceived as being likely to be considered and potentially resolved by this Congress, before the presidential election. That was the issue of LPFM, where bills have been introduced in Congress to eliminate the restrictions that prohibited LPFM stations from causing third-adjacent channel interference to other stations.”
Oxenford said staffers from both the House and Senate indicated that, “while there were many other issues of importance to those in the music industry that might be considered this year, LPFM was the one issue that had a chance of actually being adopted this year, given bipartisan support for pending bills.”
"While it may appear that Big Media wins when programs such as LPFM are abandoned, we know that is not actually the case. The same media that ignored the people now wakes up to a world of blogs, YouTube, and reality television. What once was halted could not be stopped forever. This was further proven by this month’s resurrection of House Bill 2802, otherwise known as the Local Community Radio Act, or LPFM. The bill has bipartisan support in both the House and Senate and has survived seven years of Big Media opposition. I ask you now to not only encourage your congressmen to support this bill, but once it is passed, to embrace its opportunities by listening to your local stations and reflecting on the range of opinions that can be found within 3.5 miles of your home."
Greetings from the Prometheus Radio Project! It’s a big week for Senate Bill 1675 and House Bill 2802, the Local Community Radio Act of 2007, and the fight to expand low power FM radio! Many of you have called or met with your legislators, or are getting ready to do so, and to ask them to cosponsor a bill to bring community radio to the whole USA. Because of the noise we are making around the country -- demanding new, local, low power FM radio station licenses in our cities and smaller communities -- important media sources are covering the issue, and spreading the word that the time is now to expand low power FM.
Bill Moyers, who has covered the impact of media consolidation and a lack of accountable local voices on American communities for years, is broadcasting a special on low power FM and media -tonight-, August 24th! Stay tuned for news and analysis from the FCC, from journalist Rick Karr, and from your allies here at the Prometheus Radio Project. Watch a summary of the special on media issues here --
http://youtube.com/watch?v=EriXIv7LAQo -- and forward to your friends, so they can become as passionate as you are about low power FM radio, and work with you to get your legislators to cosponsor the Local Community Radio Act of 2007.
Not only is low power FM radio taking to national TV -- but also -- the paper of record of middle Tennessee -- the Tennessean -- (http://www.tennessea...ION01/708230410/1008) -- has just written a huge editorial about low power FM -- asking Tennessee Congressmembers to work to expand it!
"Now is the time to act," say the editors of the Tennessean. They continue, "Since the airwaves belong to the public, it follows that the airwaves should reflect all aspects of the public. This bill would go a long way toward that goal, and deserves full support."
This article was paired with other great editorials from Free Press, and from strong low power FM leaders, WRFN-LP ( http://www.radiofreenashville.org ), Pasquo, Tennessee!
We have to take advantage of this momentum. Write your Congressmember now to tell them how important low power FM radio is to you -- and tell them to cosponsor House Bill 2802 -- the Local Community Radio Act of 2007 -- which would expand low power FM all across Tennessee and beyond!
Thanks for calling your Congressmembers, and sending this note far and wide! Stay tuned for more updates on this battle in the next weeks -- as we work together to expand low power FM to communities nationwide!
Hannah Sassaman
Prometheus Radio Project
P.S. Email hannahjs@prometheusradio.org with ’Remove’ in the subject line to be removed from this list -- and forward widely to spread the word!
P.P.S. Read the articles that appeared in today’s Tennessean in support of LPFM:
Hello supporters of low power FM radio! Read below to get Congressman Olver signed on to expand low power FM radio to Montague. Please read and forward widely!
On June 21st, Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA) joined Congressman Lee Terry (R-NE), as well as Senators John McCain and Senators Maria Cantwell, to introduce the Local Community Radio Act of 2007. This bill -- H.R. 2802 in the House and S. 1675 in the Senate -- is what we have been fighting for for years -- a chance for community radio hopefuls across the country to get new licenses to build their own low power FM radio stations. (Learn more about how Congress limited low power FM radio in most American cities here -- http://www.prometheu...ion/lpfm_in_congress).
The Senate spoke up in 2005 and 2006 in support of low power FM -- passing bills out of the Senate Commerce Committee to expand the service twice. This is the first time in seven years that the House of Represenatives has considered expanding low power FM radio to your community. The fight is going well, but it needs your help and support.
Since June 21st, 23 members of Congress have signed on to cosponsor H.R. 2802, the Local Community Radio Act. And other offices are committing to share their support!
Your grassroots support is critical. For example, because local community radio supporters at WRFU-LP contacted their Representative, Congressman Tim Johnson, a Republican from Urbana Illinois, and asked him to expand Illinois’ access to great community radio stations like WRFU-LP, Rep. Johnson will be signing on to the legislation to expand low power FM radio.
Because Jay Inslee (D-WA), the Democratic Congressman who represents the Seattle area, heard from so many great local folks that they want low power FM in the Northwest, he has moved to cosponsor this vital legislation.
And on Tuesday, Congressman Mike Doyle asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) if they continued to support expanding low power FM radio to America’s cities -- all five Commissioners agreed.
Please help us to continue this momentum and get more Congressmembers to support low power FM radio. If we are able to get more Congressmembers to cosponsor this bill over the next week before Congress goes on vacation -- we’ll be in great shape for a vote to expand community radio in the fall. No one will do this work for you -- we need YOU to make this call, or write a letter, for community radio, today.
You can contact Congressman Olver at 413-532-7010, and when the staff for the office picks up, you can say something like:
"Hi, my name is ______________, and I’m a constituent of Congressmember Olver and Senators Kennedy and Kerry. We need access to more local media to support workers, families, and communities across our area and across the state. Senators John McCain and Maria Cantwell, and Congressman Doyle and Congressman Terry, just introduced legislation to expand Low Power FM radio to our area and to many of America’s biggest cities. I ask Congressmember Olver and Senators Kennedy and Kerry to cosponsor this bill, the Local Community radio Act of 2007 -- HR 2802, and Senate Bill 1675. Thank you!"
We need you to do this today. Please make this call to your Congressmember now, and forward this note to others who care about community radio!
Check and see if Olver has cosponsored the low power FM radio bill here -- http://thomas.loc.go.../z?d110:HR02802:@@@P
-- some Congressmembers have committed to signing on, like the ones mentioned above, but aren’t listed yet!
Regarding MCCI’s attempt to get their LPFM station up and running.
Basic info:
MCCI received a "Building Permit" on August 3, 2005 for an 8 watt LPFM station transmitting at a location just off Chestnut Hill Road at 105.3 FM.
We can no longer use that location or frequency because (a) the land owner no longer desires a tower in his backyard, and (b) WVEI, 105.5, moved their tower from Pittsfield to Mt. Toby in Sunderland. They now interfere with our proposed frequency as a ’co-channel’.
In July of 2006 we applied with the FCC for a location move (a) and a frequency change (b) due to these circumstances.
(a) The new location is on Country Hill, a knob off Dry Hill, in Montague. The Montague Water District owns a tower at the top of the hill and has approved us as a tenant on the tower for $150 a month. They even approved us adding an extension to the tower if we want.
(b) The new frequency is 92.3, channel #222
The FCC denied our request because WGAJ of Deerfield Academy is a "third adjacent" to us (we’re 19km too close).
Our only hope of getting the station up and running is for Congress to pass a bill that relaxes the restrictions regarding Third Adjacent stations for LPFM licenses.
We need to contact Rep. Olver and ask what’s his position on the issue. If he’s on our side (which he probably is) can he rally some peers and get a bill written and passed?
Our construction permit was due to expire on Feb 4, 2007 but we applied for and received an 18-month extension to August 2008.
In the mean time we need to get a transmitter and an antenna and to start fund raising for the monthly fees we will be incurring, including the rent for the tower, the electric, and the DSL or cable line up to the tower, if such a thing is even possible. We may have to run a wire or go dish. Since the tower is on top of a short mountain, on a three-season road, with only a cinder block shack at out disposal, we will likely run the station as a stream off the internet and have a computer or some other such streaming-playback hardware at the tower.
Ultimately the programming will be local resident-driven, with live broadcasts of the select board, school committee, and Town Meetings.
If you have any questions, please click the "Contact Us" link above.
Mik
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Here are the coordinates of Country Hill, and a link to the location on TopoZone.com
Click on "Large" on the left side. Note the dotted line is the "trail" that once was Dry Hill Road.
Here’s the same location on local.Google.com. If you zoom in you see "Dry Hill Road" momentarily. The road to the east, from Wendell Road, is East Chestnut Hill Road.
Article that states that Congress, not the FCC, has mandated the third adjacent separation. Perhaps with a Democratic Congress it will finally be passed.
The nascent Montague Low Power FM Committee met last night at the MCTV studios to discuss the possibility of finishing up the task of having Low Power FM in Montague. There was a consensus that it was a worthy goal and we all agreed to do our parts to make it happen, and soon.
Some members of the committee will be meeting next week to make a PSA for the TV station to air and to "bicycle" around to neighboring PEG Access stations.
We will have another official meeting at 7:00 PM on Tuesday Dec 5th. All interested parties are encouraged to attend.
More information will be forthcoming as it surfaces.
The LPFM effort is a project of MCCI.
(c) 2011 MCCI, Montague Community Cable, Inc. Contact us at (413) 863-9200. Hosting provided by MontagueWebWorks.com
- Tue, Feb 1, 2011, 11:04 A
