Arizona, Get on the air: Low Power FM radio!!!

amartina — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:01:18 +0000

"Ownership is critically important: who owns the media is who gets to speak. This is why community radio is so important, it democratizes the media ... We have to tell our own story because when we don't, we are harmed."

-Joe Torres, Free Press

After ten years of community organizing, a powerful grassroots campaign led by the Prometheus Radio Project successfully pushed the Local Community Radio Act through Congress, winning the opportunity for local groups to control a piece of the broadcast airwaves! As early as Fall 2012, community groups will be able to apply for new community radio stations.

This is our one-time golden opportunity to seize the airwaves! It's a chance to build a national communications infrastructure in the hands of the people. Organizers from the Prometheus Radio Project are coming to Arizona to share information and strategies for starting stations.

The FCC announced the new EAS/CAP rules on 1/11/2012!

amartina — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:52:52 +0000

CAP stands for Common Alerting Protocol. CAP is a new internationally-accepted open standard for sending information about emergencies. In the US, CAP is going to be implemented as part of the IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert Warning System) program. FEMA will originate messages about emergencies and send them to a centralized "aggregator", which will then disseminate the messages over the internet.
Unlike the current EAS system, where messages only go out over TV and radio, CAP is not tailored for broadcasters. CAP messages may include text, photos, videos, or audio to supplement the basic information. The messages will be sent not only to TV and radio stations, but also to computers, smart phones, highway signs, and more.

The FCC will require you to have equipment that can receive and decode CAP messages. You will also need to be capable of rebroadcasting CAP messages in EAS format.
The current deadline for compliance is June 30, 2012. The original deadline was March 30th, 2011, but the FCC has extended it twice at the request of Prometheus and other broadcasters' associations.

You can find more information in the following link

http://prometheusradio.org/eas_cap_basics

Civil Rights on the Airwaves

stephanie — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:05:06 +0000

Low Power Radio

PRP Broadcast Archive

“I have been an organizer for ten years, and I have never had such an easy time filling rooms on a Saturday morning as when we meet to talk about getting low power FM stations in Minneapolis-St. Paul."

This powerful statement on the excitement around community radio came from Danielle Mkali, Media Justice Organizer with the Main Street Project. Ms. Mkali was one of six panelists at “Civil Rights on the Airwaves: Building Community Radio in Communities of Color,” a video streamed event on the New America Foundation on January 9.

Across the country, communities are gearing up as the FCC prepares to accept new applications for low power FM (LPFM) community radio stations in 2012. The panelists discussed the importance of community radio in communities of color, as well as their challenges and visions for the future. Along with her Media Justice Program Director Steven Renderos, Ms. Mkali described Main Street Project's work to organize a coalition of groups in the Twin Cities to apply for community radio licenses.

Airwaves Clear Slightly for Community Radio

stephanie — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 21:09:30 +0000

Prometheus in the News

Jan. 16, 2012 9:56 AM ET
Airwaves clear slightly for community radio

Former FM 'pirate' works to change rules

stephanie — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:59:20 +0000

Prometheus in the News

Former FM 'pirate' works to change rules

Story by Michael Matza - Philadelphia Inquirer Staff Writer - January 9, 2012

The FCC Demonstrates There’s Room for More LPFMs on the Airwaves in New Report

stephanie — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 16:54:57 +0000

Prometheus in the News

Posted by Sabrina Roach on Flip the Media

FCC Study Confirms Value of Low-Power FM Radio Stations

stephanie — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:56:39 +0000

The Federal Communications Commission released an important report today on the economic impact of low power FM (LPFM) radio stations on full power commercial stations. The report concluded that these community radio stations do not have a significant impact on audience ratings, advertising revenues, or other economic indicators of full power stations.

Congressman Mike Doyle (D-PA) issued the following statement in response:

Silenced 'voice' of Dunbar tries to state its case -Pirate station creator travels to Washington on Monday to share his story.

stephanie — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 15:53:49 +0000

Prometheus in the News

Silenced 'voice' of Dunbar tries to state its case - Pirate station creator travels to Washington on Monday to share his story

by Janine Zeitlin

On a Friday morning in December, Al Knighten peered out the tinted window of his den to see four police cars, a blue sedan and an unmarked SUV pulling up to his humble Fort Myers home.

Rap. Rap. Rap.

The 44-year-old knew the hard knocking was for him.

Civil Rights on the Airwaves: Community Radio in Communities of Color

stephanie — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:32:35 +0000

Low Power Radio

A live webcast panel discussion

Monday, January 9
4pm-5:30pm

Thanks to the passage of the Local Community Radio Act, 2012 offers the largest expansion of community radio in U.S. history. But for whom?

Radio remains relevant in our communities, yet people of color own only 7 percent of radio stations. Commercial media consolidation and unfair restrictions on community radio have narrowed already limited access to the airwaves for communities of color. Unable to get an FCC license, Albert Knighten was recently arrested and charged with running an unlicensed station serving the black community of Dunbar, Florida with gospel music and local public affairs programs. With an opportunity to transform the national radio landscape on the horizon for 2012, Knighten will miss his own arraignment to come to Washington and share his story. He will join other grassroots leaders from across the country to discuss the challenges and successes of building community radio in communities of color.

The event will be webcast at http://newamerica.net/events/2012/on_the_airwaves for those who are not in the Washington, DC area. Online viewers can Tweet questions with the hashtag #civilrightsonair.

Cosponsored by Prometheus Radio Project, Color of Change, Media Action Grassroots Network, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, Free Press, and New America Foundation's Open Technology Initiative.

New America Foundation

1899 L St NW

Washington DC

Featured Speakers
Kai Aiyetoro
Board of Directors
Prometheus Radio Project

John Freeman
Founder and Executive Director
KOCZ in Opelousas, LA

Albert Knighten
Founder

Dunbar Community Radio, Dunbar, FL

Jabari Moketsi
Founder and CEO
Gullah Sentinel, Beaufort, SC

Danielle Mkali
Media Justice Organizer
Main Street Project, Minneapolis, MN

Steven Renderos
Media Justice Program Director
Main Street Project, Minneapolis, MN

Moderator
Corrine Yu
Senior Counsel and Managing Policy Director
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

Special introductions

Rashad Robinson
Executive Director
Color of Change

Joe Torres
Senior Adviser for Government and External Affairs, Free Press

Co-author of News for All the People: The Epic Story of Race and the American Media

Betty Yu
Coordinator
MAG-Net

To RSVP for the event or watch online, go to the event page:

http://newamerica.net/events/2012/on_the_airwaves

Prometheus Radio Broadcast December 2011

stephanie — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 21:54:32 +0000

PRP Broadcast Archive

Arizona, Get on the air: Low Power FM radio!!!

The FCC announced the new EAS/CAP rules on 1/11/2012!

Civil Rights on the Airwaves

Airwaves Clear Slightly for Community Radio

Former FM 'pirate' works to change rules

The FCC Demonstrates There’s Room for More LPFMs on the Airwaves in New Report

FCC Study Confirms Value of Low-Power FM Radio Stations

﻿Silenced 'voice' of Dunbar tries to state its case -Pirate station creator travels to Washington on Monday to share his story.

Civil Rights on the Airwaves: Community Radio in Communities of Color

Prometheus Radio Broadcast December 2011

Silenced 'voice' of Dunbar tries to state its case -Pirate station creator travels to Washington on Monday to share his story.