S. 2505 – the bill to expand LPFM back out to its original parameters as defined in 2000 – is expected to clear the Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday. This is somewhat of a no-brainer as S. 2505’s sponsor, John McCain (R-AZ) also happens to be committee chairman.
At present the bill has just two co-sponsors. Remember that it must still clear both the House and Senate and survive a presidential veto (expected but not yet promised). There’s always a chance that S. 2505 could become a “rider” to other legislation, a common legislative shortcut used when Congress has a backlog (as is the case presently). Then again, it could always be scuttled in exchange for the support of other measures with more political capital. Continue reading “LPFM Expansion Bill to Clear Committee”
Author: diymedia_tu6dox
Bad News (Double Dose)
The first is the FCC’s decision to set aside an earlier ruling that suspended approval for an Oregon commercial radio station to move closer to Seattle – a move which will force Mercer Island High School’s KMIH-FM off the air. The set-aside effectively puts the school’s station back in the gallows.
KMIH General Manager Nick DeVogel says, “This decision is ripe for reconsideration and appeal, and we implore the Commission to do just that.” Continue reading “Bad News (Double Dose)”
LPAM Petition Revival Effort; FCC Tomfoolery Planned for Monterey
What with the FCC in the midst of a spasm of public backlash (recently magnified by the judicial bodyslam given its media ownership work), a new effort is afoot to resurrect a petition for rulemaking to consider the establishment of a low-power AM radio service. Such a petition was actually tendered to the FCC more than a year ago but, like other selected documents, it entered the agency’s maw and disappeared.
The “revival petition” asks the FCC to finally respond to the LPAM request made in mid-2003; it will be submitted as a part of the agency’s ongoing inquiry into localism. Don Schellhardt is collecting signatures; if you’d like to be included e-mail him and include your contact information for the petition’s purposes. The initial plan called for submission to the FCC by tomorrow but that may be a bit flexible, and follow-up filings can be made to include more signatories. Continue reading “LPAM Petition Revival Effort; FCC Tomfoolery Planned for Monterey”
New Microradio Documentary Features Tucson Stations
Coming soon to a DVD player near you: 
Making Waves, a documentary about a cluster of microradio stations in one Arizona city and the people behind them. I suspect it will an interesting cross-section of American microbroadcasting in a post-LPFM world. Expect a review here in the future.
The 66-minute show premiered at the Arizona Film Festival in April and ran for a week on Tucson’s public access cable channel last month. Producer Michael Lahey says a web site about the work is forthcoming. Continue reading “New Microradio Documentary Features Tucson Stations”
Translator Invasion's Impact on LPFM Quantified
The following are results of a preliminary study conducted by REC Networks analyzing the impact a flood of more than 13,000 FM translator applications filed last year are having on the potential growth of bona-fide local LPFM stations. REC is undoubtedly refining this information; visit their web site for more.
Bracketed text are additions to the original.
We surveyed 10,000 census designated communities, which if the translator applications that were filed during the March 2003 (Great Translator Invasion) window did not exist would be able to have some form of LPFM: Continue reading “Translator Invasion's Impact on LPFM Quantified”
LPFM Tidbits of Note
Outgoing Amherst Alliance president Don Schellhardt breaks things down micro-legislatively with regard to S.2505, the Low Power Radio Act. He also notes that Senator Maria Cantwell has introduced promised leigslation to protect certain “Class D” old-style LPFM stations from being bumped off the air. That bill, the “Educational Radio Protection Act,” currently has no sponsors. Continue reading “LPFM Tidbits of Note”
The Counter Never Lies: Truthful Translations Top 180
In celebration of this dubiously monumental occasion (just in case we stall or get raided before hitting 200), enjoy the introduction to Margaret Thatcher’s [manipulated] “Tribute to Reagan,” added to the gallery as part of the latest update:
As Prime Minister I will never forget my c*nt being eaten by Ronnie at the Geneva Summit. He told a priest after his recovery. And in the midst of hysteria, he transformed into an engine of love.
Yes. Yes. Deeper. Yes…Easy big fella. And ultimately, he came, firing a shot up my terrible cold, dark corridor, and pressed down on my breasts. Continue reading “The Counter Never Lies: Truthful Translations Top 180”
FCC Reasserts Jurisdiction Over Airwaves
The agency’s Office of Engineering and Technology released a three-page public notice Thursday “regarding radio interference matters and rules governing customer antennas and other unlicensed equipment.” The notice talks about an increase of complaints about the use of unlicensed devices in “multi tenant environments” but makes no reference to any specific instances that may have spurred its publication.
“[W]e reaffirm that, under the Communications Act, the FCC has exclusive authority to resolve matters involving radio frequency interference [RFI] when unlicensed devices are being used, regardless of venue….Both the FCC and the federal courts have overturned attempts by third parties to regulate RFI matters in light of the FCC’s exclusive authority in this area.” Continue reading “FCC Reasserts Jurisdiction Over Airwaves”
Third Circuit Orders FCC to Re-Justify Media Ownership Changes
Kind of a big day for “the public interest” – in a 2-1 decision yesterday the Philadelphia-based Third Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the implementation of several media ownership rule changes made by the Federal Communications Commission last year. However, it did not do so because the court thought they were necessarily bad rules.
Judgment (12 K) Opinion (632 K)
“Citizen Petitioners” (a plethora of public interest groups) and “Deregulatory Petitioners” (the FCC, media companies, and their trade organizations) can both find something to like. The primary criticism of the decision falls in the citizens’ favor: Mikey Powell and his FCC are taken to task for a skewed interpretation of their mission under the Telecommunications Act. Continue reading “Third Circuit Orders FCC to Re-Justify Media Ownership Changes”
Florida: Pirate Radio Attracts Bounty Hunters
Meet Signal Finder – a Florida company founded by engineers with experience at Clear Channel and Motorola. For an hourly fee it tracks pirate stations and provides detailed reports on their signal quality, strength, and interference potential (relative to the client). It’s an FCC enforcement action wrapped with a bow.
Key bit: “The commission has been quiet about Signal Finder’s efforts to this point, [Signal Finder vice president Steven] Grey said. ‘One FCC enforcement officer told me that having us pinpoint a pirate could expedite the process. However, they still need to do their complete investigation. That leaves our clients the option of taking action against unlicensed broadcasters in civil court,’ he said.” Continue reading “Florida: Pirate Radio Attracts Bounty Hunters”