-Caveat Lector-
Ah. yes... control all communications among and for 'the people'.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Micro-radio Update
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 12:01:53 -0800
From: Peter Phillips <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
TRAGICALLY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF >BROADCASTERS (NAB) AND PUBLIC RADIO
(NPR) HAVE SUCCEEDED IN KILLING LEGALIZED LOW POWER RADIO
by Peter Franck
The National Lawyers Guild Center on Democratic Communications ("CDC") has
just learned that Congress intends to pass an Omnibus Budget Act containing
a rider which will gut the FCC's new Low Power FM (LPFM) service. It now
appears that President Clinton will sign this bill.
This is the culmination of a year long intensive lobbying campaign by the
NAB, which unfortunately has been given liberal cover by NPR's campaign
against LPFM.
For more than ten years CDC has been involved with the defense of micro
broadcasters who went on the air at a time when the FCC refused to license
low power stations. We argued that those rules were unconstitutional, and
the risk of losing in court was one factor in the FCC changing its position
and authorizing LPFM.
More than a year ago, in meetings with the NAB we pointed out that they
would hurt established broadcasters if they killed LPFM (also known as
microradio). The NAB claimed they were worried about interference from
unlicensed broadcasters. We pointed out that they would be much better off
accepting some competition for audience from these small stations but
knowing where the stations were, and knowing that the FCC had assigned them
to available frequencies.
We pointed out that if LPFM was killed they would be faced with many
stations going on the air in an unpredictable way at unknown frequencies
and locations. Because the technology is cheap and readily available LPFM
will not disappear, no matter how much Congress, NPR and the NAB try to
kill it. For many, LPFM remains the only means for local communities to
have a voice.
Disappointed as we are by this congressional refusal to allow a small
experiment in media democracy, CDC will look at possible legal challenges
to Congress' unprecedented attack on community radio. Peter Franck, a
member of CDC speculated that this new law may well be unconstitutional.
Franck added ěLaws passed by congress are easier to challenge in the courts
than regulations promulgated by agencies such as the FCC. This is not
over.î
Since 1990, the CDC has worked with pioneering microbroadcasters such as
Mbanna Kantako and Stephen Dunifer, who took to the airwaves to challenge
the FCC's ban on low power community radio. In response to growing public
support, the FCC under Chairman Bill Kennard adopted a Low Power FM service
to promote public access to the airwaves. This modest service would have
create up to one-thousand new 100 watt and 10 watt community stations.
(The bill being passed by congress is a phony ěcompromiseî because it may
allow 60 or 70 LPFM stations in the most rural and unpopulated parts of the
country.)
National Public Radio and the National Association of Broadcasters failed
to stop the FCC from implementing its modest Low Power FM service. But
after months of intensive lobbying, NPR and the NAB convinced Congress to
quietly kill the service, and prevent schools, libraries, community groups
and local government from operating low watt stations. The extent of
Congressional meddling into the technical affairs of the FCC is
unprecedented, and proves that the public has indeed lost all control over
the "public" airwaves. CDC is committed to doing everything it can to help
recover them for the public
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Peter Franck ,NLG Center
for Democratic Communications (CDC) 3450 Geary Blvd., Suite 208, San
Francisco, CA 94118; www.nlgcdc.org CDC: 415.522.9814; P. Franck:
415.381.9960; fax 415.381.9963 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Peter Phillips Ph.D.
Sociology Department/Project Censored
Sonoma State University
1801 East Cotati Ave.
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
707-664-2588
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