Prometheus Radio Project is urging its supporters to tell the FCC their thoughts about saving channels for “community radio.”
In a recent email blast written by Policy Director Brandy Doyle, the low-power FM advocacy organization wrote: “After so many years fighting to bring community radio to all our cities and towns, we’ve won the battle in Congress and we’re closer than ever. The FCC is proposing to save channels for community radio, and they’ve asked for public comment on the plan. But our voices could still get drowned out by corporate static.”
As Prometheus sees it, the FCC rules process is open to the public, “but it’s mostly insiders who know how to participate. You know the usual suspects. It’s the commercial broadcasters. The big evangelical networks who play no local content. The D.C. lobbyists and telecom lawyers.”
Doyle continued with a prediction that such entities would likely file “long, technical legal arguments telling the FCC what they always do: the public airwaves really belong to the highest bidder.”
She urged Prometheus supporters to tell the FCC, “We need more local news, diverse perspectives, emergency response and local arts and music coverage.” The commission has proposed to open an application window for new LPFMs by next summer.
The FCC has extended deadlines to file public comments on its proposals to fit more low-power FMs into the FM band as well as resolve pending FM translator applications. The new deadlines for filing comments and replies to Dockets 99-25 and 07-172 are Sept. 6 and Sept. 20 respectively.
Related:
“It’s a New Day for the Radio Dial” (Jan. 2011)
