The Prometheus Radio Project, which began as an advocacy for low power FM and was the plaintiff of record in the court case that unraveled much of Michael Powell’s 6/2/03 ownership deregulation package, is hailing the five to zero result last Thursday when the FCC Commissioners were quizzed about LPFM by Rep. Michael Doyle (D-PA).
The event was last week’s FCC Oversight Hearing by the Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet.
“We are very pleased that the Commission has again voiced their support for this important bill, which would allow community radio to expand into thousands of towns, cities and neighborhoods throughout the US,” stated Cory Fischer-Hoffman, Campaign Director at the Prometheus Radio Project.
The issue in question is the Local Community Radio Act. Doyle is co-sponsor along with Lee Terry (R-NE), which would would repeal a 2003 law that requires LPFMs to protect third-adjacent channels, a regulation that Prometheus points out largely restricts LPFM to rural areas.
RBR/TVBR observation: This issue has been kicking around Capitol Hill for a long time now. LPFM is a populist cause, it has bipartisan support in Congress, unanimous support from the FCC commissioners. And the fact that FM translators are used on third adjacencies makes it hard to argue that LPFMs should not be allowed. Sooner or later, a bill is going to get through Congress with Republican votes, and the White House will sign it.
