Low Power Radio is Rising!

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NYTimes featured low power radio as it's top online headline and as a feature in the A section of its print edition last Tuesday. Please help spread the word by posting the story to listservs, Twitter and Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/kucsfu.

Complete with a musical slide show, the story highlights progress on the Low Power Community Radio Act and tells the story of Scott Johnston who runs KXZI LPFM in Montana. Scott shares: "The creation of low-power radio was a great decision on the part of the FCC. Everything was starting to sound the same and the local voices were just totally getting cut out of the picture ... We're a Montana expression. Really unique voices need to be heard. I think that's about as American as you can get."

The Local Community Radio Act is poised to pass, which will create thousands more access points for local voices to be heard and bring low power radio to urban areas.

Background

The Local Community Radio Act affirms the decision by the FCC in 2000 to allow non-commercial low power stations to fill spaces on the radio dial between full power stations. Unfortunately corporate interests stepped in and convinced Congress to prohibit these small stations in cities dense with stations, even though the FCC's own report that showed there would be no interference. Still, over 800 low power stations were able to go on the air, many operated by civil rights groups, schools, farm worker organizations, environmentalists, cultural organizations, and others, proving the importance of locally controlled media. Since 2005 media reform advocates have been fighting to pass the Local Community Radio Act to expand LPFM. Read more background.

Status of the Local Community Radio Act

The New York Times article follows a grassroots push for the legislation this summer - when hundreds called their legislators and dozens held in-district meetings. In 2009, this bipartisan legislation has moved further than ever before. The Act has 77 co-sponsors in the House and 7 in the Senate, many of whom serve on the Energy and Commerce Committee and Subcommittee on Telecommunication and Internet and Technology, where the bill was heard for the first time in June. The Act has the support of both chairs to move it from committee. Senator Waxman, chair of the E & C, has been an avid supporter since LPFM was created. The bill is in a unique position with the new administration; Obama himself was a co-sponsor of this legislation.

Outreach Efforts

Creating more radio stations means more power to more people, but only if social justice and community organizations are prepared to take advantage of it. That's why Prometheus is launching a significant outreach effort to mobilize the grassroots to apply for licenses and build new stations. This Spring, we will focus on Latino and immigrant communities, touring 15 cities in 45 days, partnering local grassroots organizations to prepare groups to apply. We are looking for existing stations and experts to counsel groups who want to apply. If you can volunteer, please email stations@prometheusradio.org This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

What You Can Do to Help

1) Spread the word!
Post the NY Times story to listservs, Twitter and Facebook:
http://tinyurl.com/kucsfu

2) Keep up the pressure!
Let your Congressperson know: Now is the time for more radio!

3) Become a sustaining funder for Prometheus!
Sign up to donate $5-50 a month, or a one time donation, so we can ramp up efforts to expand people-powered radio!