New Public Media

Here’s an update from Congress worth tuning into: the Local Community Radio Act (HR 1147) is finally advancing. This morning, the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet passed the bill out of committee. This is a monumental leap toward getting local, nonprofit and community groups back on the radio dial.

It marks a huge victory. For the past 10 years, commercial broadcasters have blocked Low Power FM (LPFM) radio stations, and Congress has complied with their wishes. But thanks to widespread support — more than 80 co-sponsors on the bill and dozens upon dozens of national and local organizations speaking up — the bill is finally climbing up the ladder. At this morning’s bill markup, the subcommittee passed the legislation almost unanimously by a vote of 15-to-1.

The LPFM radio service was first introduced a decade ago, partially as a response to the damage caused by consolidation in the radio business. It was a pretty simple concept: give non-profits like colleges, schools, unions, churches and other groups a license to broadcast 100 watts (about a 3-5 mile radius) in their communities.

However, commercial broadcasters — armed with faulty and baseless claims of interference — convinced Congress to restrict LPFMs to mostly rural areas, leaving most suburban and urban communities without their own stations. But the results of a $2.2 million congressionally mandated study found these tiny LPFMs would not interfere with the commercial giants.

Winning over Doubters

Legislation to expand LPFM has never come this far in Congress, despite being introduced in the past three terms. At this morning’s hearing, three representatives who previously expressed doubts about the bill, voiced their support. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.), the only former broadcaster in the committee, and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), one of the original co-sponsors of the legislation that limited LPFM 10 years ago, both endorsed the Local Community Radio Act this morning.

Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), who originally called for the study, claimed he continued to “maintain a modest degree of skepticism” but felt that the bill was “fundamentally sound” and voiced his intention to support it.

It’s an exciting day on the Hill for local radio advocates, and a victory for those who have been tirelessly pushing this issue on the ground in Washington for nearly a decade. And there’s more good news: earlier this week, Rep. Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) told a roomful of musicians, public interest advocates and industry representatives at the Future of Music Summit that passing the LPFM bill would be "our Christmas present this year."

This is all worth celebrating, but let’s be clear: Our work is far from done. Getting this bill out of the subcommittee is a huge victory, but now we’ve got to ensure that this bill becomes law. As Doyle said at the hearing: "The time has come to bring the airwaves back to the people they serve. The time has come to bring low power to the people."

Learn more about what you can do at Free Press and the Prometheus Radio Project to keep advancing the Low Power Community Radio Act.