Property Is Robbery
21st December 2010, 21:58
Comrades today is a victory of sorts for the movement. Non profit organizations can now broadcast on low power FM stations. We can now spread our message as well as vital news on the radio. Of course real calls to action could not realistically be broadcasted on these stations. I think this opens up a new realm of possibility.
OpenCongress Summary
This bipartisan legislation and its Senate equivalent, S.592 (http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s592/show), would repeal restrictions Congress imposed on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2001 and allow them to make licenses available to low-powered FM radio stations at the local community level.
AMY GOODMAN: Now, explain exactly what LPFM is, Low Power FM.
HANNAH SASSAMAN: Sure. So, across the United States, there are full-power stations, you know, commercial stations, there’s public radio, and there’s something called Low Power FM. These are stations that broadcast about three to five miles, power of a light bulb, 100 watts. They are always local. You can’t really own one 5,000 miles away; you have to own one in your community. They’re always licensed to nonprofit community organizations. And you have to put some local content on the air.
They’re truly meant to ameliorate what happened in Minot, North Dakota in 2001, when a train went through town in the middle of the night, it derailed, it poured a poison gas cloud over the town. When the police tried to alert the emergency alert system, it didn’t work, because all six stations in town were owned by Clear Channel. They were being run on autopilot. And a huge amount of damage was done. So, Low Power FM is meant to put truly community voices on the FM dial. And now people around the country should get very excited, because we can now get ready to apply for these stations in our own communities, for civil rights groups, environmental organizations, immigrants groups. It’s a very exciting time.
AMY GOODMAN: How do people apply for these stations?
HANNAH SASSAMAN: So the FCC will open up what’s called a licensing window. We’re not sure exactly when. We at Prometheus are very excited to be working at the FCC to make a window happen as soon as possible. But now is the time to organize your group to think about what a community station can truly do in your town.
I love thinking about the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio. They fought to make sure that the golf association doesn’t build a course over their pure aquifer. They fought to protect the right to protest in the streets of San Antonio, and people are working across color lines, across gender lines, across class lines in that city. A local community radio station right there at the Esperanza Center will revolutionize their ability to make change. That’s what I’m hoping that the people of this country are ready to do.
OpenCongress Summary
This bipartisan legislation and its Senate equivalent, S.592 (http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-s592/show), would repeal restrictions Congress imposed on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2001 and allow them to make licenses available to low-powered FM radio stations at the local community level.
AMY GOODMAN: Now, explain exactly what LPFM is, Low Power FM.
HANNAH SASSAMAN: Sure. So, across the United States, there are full-power stations, you know, commercial stations, there’s public radio, and there’s something called Low Power FM. These are stations that broadcast about three to five miles, power of a light bulb, 100 watts. They are always local. You can’t really own one 5,000 miles away; you have to own one in your community. They’re always licensed to nonprofit community organizations. And you have to put some local content on the air.
They’re truly meant to ameliorate what happened in Minot, North Dakota in 2001, when a train went through town in the middle of the night, it derailed, it poured a poison gas cloud over the town. When the police tried to alert the emergency alert system, it didn’t work, because all six stations in town were owned by Clear Channel. They were being run on autopilot. And a huge amount of damage was done. So, Low Power FM is meant to put truly community voices on the FM dial. And now people around the country should get very excited, because we can now get ready to apply for these stations in our own communities, for civil rights groups, environmental organizations, immigrants groups. It’s a very exciting time.
AMY GOODMAN: How do people apply for these stations?
HANNAH SASSAMAN: So the FCC will open up what’s called a licensing window. We’re not sure exactly when. We at Prometheus are very excited to be working at the FCC to make a window happen as soon as possible. But now is the time to organize your group to think about what a community station can truly do in your town.
I love thinking about the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center in San Antonio. They fought to make sure that the golf association doesn’t build a course over their pure aquifer. They fought to protect the right to protest in the streets of San Antonio, and people are working across color lines, across gender lines, across class lines in that city. A local community radio station right there at the Esperanza Center will revolutionize their ability to make change. That’s what I’m hoping that the people of this country are ready to do.