House of Representatives Helps Small Indie Radio Stations

Stefan Kühn

​Yesterday the Local Community Radio Act passed in the House of Representatives. Now it's up to the Senate to see if this bill, which will "will open the airwaves for hundreds of new non-commercial stations across the country" according to the group Media Alliance, will follow suit and pass it as well.

Basically, the House voted to remove technical restrictions that have been in place for low power stations since 2000, restrictions Media Alliance claims were imposed at the request of commercial broadcasters and kept smaller stations "out of the top 50 radio markets." If the bill gets the blessing of the Senate as well, it will make it easier for the Federal Communications Commission to offer licenses to lower power, 100-watt community stations around the country. It's an issue of particular importance in the Bay Area, which has served as a home to numerous pirate and community broadcasters over the years.