“Low power to the people!”

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So said Local Community Radio Act co-sponsor Mike Doyle (D-PA) as he hailed passage of the measure by the full House. Key watchdog Prometheus Radio Project was also excited about the action. Meanwhile, the NAB is looking for a couple additional tweaks as focus moves to the Senate.


“The offices of Representatives Doyle, Terry, Waxman, and Boucher have demonstrated incredible leadership in fighting for community access to the nation’s public airwaves,” said Diane Foglizzo, Campaign Coordinator for the Prometheus Radio Project. “We’re excited to have Senators Cantwell and McCain leading the way in the Senate to finally turn this bill into law.”

 “The NAB and NPR have removed their objections and do not oppose this bill. The time has come to make the airwaves available to the people they serve. The time has come to give low power to the people,” said lead co-sponsor Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA).

Doyle’s Republican co-sponsor was Lee Terry (R-NE). Both are members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, as well as its Communications Subcommittee.

The NAB did not oppose the bill, but neither did it support it. It was pleased to see language added providing mechanisms to deal with any interference which may arise from a new LPFM, and will seek to add a couple additional tweaks when the Senate considers the measure.

NAB would like clarifying language identifying full power FM as a primary service and low power FM as a secondary service; and it also wants language guaranteeing interference protection for first and second adjacent incumbents.