The Little Bill That Could

[sasha031]

Source: Huffington Post

Little noticed but extremely important to progressives, on Saturday afternoon Congress also passed the Local Community Radio Act. This legislation opens up radio spectrum to hundreds, if not thousands, of local independent radio stations (also known as LPFM).Its passing will bring new choices and voices on the radio dial nationwide, but is especially relevant to a broadcast area reaching 160 million people who lived in areas where these stations had previously been barred from local airwaves.
Anyone tracking the rise of radio personalities like Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage understands the primary political significance of gaining access to spectrum. With the opening of the airwaves to LPFM stations, progressives can gain a small but consequential spot on the radio dial. The challenge now is to organize local groups to gain access to licenses. Follow and support the Prometheus Radio Project to learn more.

This bill would not have passed without the tireless work of a small, but dedicated corps of radio activists who faced down one of the most powerful corporate lobbies in Washington -- the National Association of Broadcasters. After ten years of pushing and broad-based organizing these activists got broadcasters to yield on Friday.With the corporate lobby out of the way the bill passed both the House and the Senate in little more than 24 hours.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-karr/the-little-bill-that-coul_b_798768.html

---

this is good news, more honest liberal radio for a change.

[Bennyboy]

1. THis is fucking awesome!

Seriously. I love low power radio.

[babsbunny]

2. thank you!

This gives me hope!

[sasha031]

3. How I wish they could bring back Air America or something close to it

[myrna minx]

4. This is excellent news.

:toast:

[underpants]

5. Excellent for us, the people, and congrats to the activists

:patriot:

[PoliticAverse]

6. This is nice, but...

a key point is that the FCC must issue licenses for the stations to be allowed to operate.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

7. Last time the FCC did this the Christian right bought them all up

and turned them into translators ("repeaters") for their own broadcasting system. Totally defeated the purpose of the act. Let's see what happens this time.

[Demeter]

8. kick it up!

[harun]

9. So how do I start broadcasting?

[PoliticAverse]

14. The rules...

http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/lowpwr.html#NEWLPFM

[AndyTiedye]

10. I am Amazed That This Slipped Through

:kick:

[bear425]

11. K/R!

[supernova]

12. This is good news

Maybe we will get back to more local programming and less national, focus-grouped to the nnth degree play lists too. As well as more local comunity affairs programming.

[PoliticAverse]

13. Link to the bill text...

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/billtext.xpd?bill=h111-6533

[Kingofalldems]

15. Kick this one