WASHINGTON, DC — As part of its continued support of community radio, Future of Music Coalition has launched the I Support Community Radio campaign, which features established and emerging musicians talking about how local radio has positively impacted their lives, both as artists and listeners.
Launched on the eve of an important Congressional hearing on Low Power FM radio (LPFM), the ongoing campaign demonstrates the need for community-based broadcasting alternatives to the increasingly homogenized commercial airwaves. The project features video testimonials from such artists as the Indigo Girls, Saul Williams, David Harrington of Kronos Quartet, Jon Langford of The Mekons and Waco Brothers, Vijay Iyer, Franz Nicolay of The Hold Steady and more.
One clear way to put the community back in radio is to lift the unnecessary restrictions on LPFM stations in larger American towns and cities. LPFM stations are community-based, non-commercial radio broadcasters that operate at 100 watts or less and reach a radius of three to seven miles. LPFM provides a platform for underserved musical genres, minority, religious and linguistic groups and offers a forum for debate about important local issues.
“The radio waves don’t belong to the politicians, they don’t belong to the corporations — they belong to the people,” says Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls in her group’s testimonial. “Low Power FM stations can voice community concerns and represent communities culturally… we feel that (LPFM) is a very important contribution to what goes over our airwaves in our country.”
The FCC has long supported expanding LPFM, but earlier in the decade, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) – who represent commercial radio interests – successfully lobbied Congress to limit LPFM stations to a mere fraction of the number originally proposed by the FCC. A dedicated group of LPFM advocates, including Future of Music Coalition, The United Church of Christ and Prometheus Radio Project have since urged policymakers to lift these unnecessary restrictions so that more American towns and cities can benefit from locally-originated programming.
The Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet will hold a legislative hearing on H.R. 1147, the Local Community Radio Act of 2009, H.R. 1133. The hearing takes place at 10 AM on Thursday, June 11, 2009, in 2322 Rayburn House Office Building.
Future of Music Coalition is a national non-profit education, research and advocacy organization that seeks a bright future for creators and listeners. FMC works towards this goal through continuous interaction with its primary constituency — musicians — and in collaboration with other creator/public interest groups. More