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Non-commercial low-power FM radio
Commercial Alert July 9, 1999
Following is a column by Ralph Nader urging the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) to authorize the operation of non-commercial low-power
FM radio stations.
By Ralph Nader
Ever wonder why radio generally has become so canned, flat and insipid,
bereft of local news, stuffed with commercials, mercantile values and
the same old, tired junk, not to mention the downright offensiveness of
Howard Stern and the other shock jocks?
First, for years, over 90% of all radio time is composed of
entertainment (music) and advertisements. In addition, in the last
three years, diversity in radio station ownership has been collapsing.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996 raised the number of radio outlets
that any single corporation may own in any market, which loosed a flood
of radio company mergers. So, station ownership is not only
concentrated in fewer corporate hands, but formulaic programming takes
the few reporters left and local coverage to the back seat.
Two conglomerates own over 400 radio stations each, all over the
country. One woman complained about the sameness of Cleveland radio,
following two huge radio company mergers: "It's as though McDonald's
bought every restaurant in town and all you could get was a Big Mac."
The purpose of these corporate radio mega-conglomerates is to maximize
profits by reducing costs of reporters and editors -- not to enrich
public discourse or cover the news in their areas. Market forces have
not led to a vigorous radio culture, or thoughtful programming, or
programming that gives voice to the community.
In their quest for larger audiences, more advertising and greater
profits, commercial broadcasters cater to the basest standards, with
ever more blatant effusions of crassness, sex talk and nihilism.
Commercial rewards drive the creation, production and marketing of ever
more Howard Sterns, Greasemans, shock jocks and the rest.
This inevitably leads to a coarsening of our culture, which has
particularly harmful effects on children.
Even "public" radio is becoming commercialized. National Public Radio
now carries many ever longer "underwriting messages" -- which are a form
of advertisement.
Meanwhile, the public is mostly silent on the airwaves that we legally
own.
Radio is supposed to serve the ends and purposes of the First
Amendment: to protect public discourse, which is essential to our form
of democratic self-government.
But the current regulatory regime for radio serves to thwart the First
Amendment rights and interests of most Americans. We speak little, if
at all, on our own airwaves, while the wealthy may speak through radio
by controlling who uses their stations and for what purposes.
What good is freedom of speech if nobody can afford it? Is speech
truly free if only the wealthy can buy it?
Here's the good news: at last, the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) may come to the rescue.
Right now, the FCC is considering whether to set up noncommercial
low-power FM (LPFM) radio stations of up to 100 watts, with a range of a
few miles. That's a big deal. Imagine the new voices that could
flourish on these micro-stations -- service and advocacy groups,
universities, community and civic organizations, ethnic groups, arts
organizations, seniors groups and others.
They could really liven up the radio dial. They could give us some
choices.
But it is not enough merely to authorize LPFM service. The FCC should
allocate more spectrum for low power radio broadcasting, and introduce
it when radio switches from analog to digital signals.
These small stations could enrich the public's understanding of civic
issues and social problems. They could be a modest but important step
toward more cohesive communities, a renewed public discourse and a
richer and more realistic culture. It is not often that a federal
agency could achieve so much with so little.
Americans are drowning in a sea of commercialism. Americans are
immersed in advertisements, junk mail, junk faxes, tv and radio ads,
telemarketing, billboards and more. There are ads in schools, beach
sand, airport lounges, doctors offices, hospitals, convenience stores,
floors of supermarkets, toilet stalls, on the Internet, and countless
other places. Advertisers even tried, unsuccessfully, to put ads in
space and on postage stamps. Tom Vanderbilt, author of The Sneaker
Book, writes of advertisers' effort to "hang a jingle in front of
America's every waking moment."
Three cheers for the Microradio Empowerment Coalition, a coalition of
microradio stations, community and civic groups, organizations, and
individuals which is working to make non-commercial LPFM radio a
reality.
There is a profound need in America today for public spaces in which
people can talk to one another. We don't need more advertising talking
at us. Can't we have just a few spaces -- niches really -- that are free
from advertising -- sanctuaries, in effect? Is that too much to ask?
The FCC ought use its authority to establish non-commercial LPFM
stations -- to build a stronger democracy in America, and serve a vision
grander than the profit-driven trivialization of most of the
broadcasting and advertising industries. The FCC was not intended to
merely protect the speech rights of broadcasters, advertisers and the
wealthy. It ought to uphold and protect the public's First Amendment
interests in radio, to rededicate radio to the service of democracy in
America. Non-commercial LPFM radio is one modest step toward that goal.
<-------------column ends here ----------->
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Send a comment (even if it's very brief) to the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) in support of non-commercial low power FM radio. The
deadline for comments to the FCC on the microradio Notice of Proposed
Rule Making has been extended to August 2, 1999.
Instructions for sending a comment to the FCC via e-mail are available
from the FCC at <http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html>. Alternatively,
you may want to sign onto the Microradio Empowerment Coalition's appeal
to legalize noncommercial community-based microradio, at
<http://www.nlgcdc.org/mec/mec.html>.
For more information, see Commercial Alert's web page on non-commercial
low-power FM radio, at <http://www.essential.org/alert/radio/index.html>
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Gary Ruskin | Commercial Alert
1611 Connecticut Ave. NW Suite #3A | Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 296-2787 | Fax (202) 833-2406
http://www.essential.org/alert/ | mailto:gary@essential.org
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