Copyright 2000 Newsday, Inc.
Newsday (New York, NY)
October 17, 2000, Tuesday NASSAU AND SUFFOLK
EDITION
SECTION: BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY; Page A59
LENGTH: 396 words
HEADLINE:
STATIC OVER LOW POWER FM / POSSIBLE INTERFERENCE FOR FCC S
RADIO PLAN
BYLINE: By Peter Goodman. STAFF WRITER
BODY:
With Congress expected to adjourn Friday,
the struggle over creation of a new low-power FM radio service
is buried in the minutiae of last-minute spending bills. House and Senate
opponents of the Federal Communications Commission's "community radio" program
have agreed on language that supporters say would effectively kill it.
Meanwhile, the Clinton administration has just reaffirmed its backing for the
project.
The FCC's "Low Power FM" program, announced
last winter, would allow community and municipal groups such as libraries,
churches and even highway departments to establish small radio stations, with no
more than 100 watts of power and ranges up to about 10 miles.
But the
broadcast industry, led by the National Association of Broadcasters and
supported by National Public Radio, has mounted a massive campaign against the
proposal, arguing that even such low-powered signals would create unacceptable
interference with already established stations.
While the FCC has moved
ahead with its plans, accepting applications from about a dozen states so far,
its foes in Congress have united around bills sponsored by Rep. Bill Oxley
(R-Ohio) and Sens. Rod Grams (R-Minn.) and Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) that would
prevent any new signals within the "third adjacent" frequency of existing
stations, and require a nine-market pilot project.
"That would
effectively shut it down," said Vincent Pepper, a Washington attorney
specializing in broadcast issues.
But since there is so little time left
for a debate and vote on individual items, sources within Congress and outside
say that the essence of the bill is likely to be attached as a rider to the FCC
appropriations bill. "If it is a rider to an appropriations bill, the president
has to weigh the pluses and minuses," Pepper said. "He comes off bad if he
vetoes the entire bill because of a rider."
Last spring, the Clinton
administration announced its support of LPFM. Restating that position on Oct. 6,
the White House Office of Management and Budget said in a statement about the
appropriations bill for the departments of commerce, justice, state and the
judiciary: "We understand there may be an amendment that would hinder the FCC
from approving low power broadcasting by community groups. We do not believe
such amendments should be added to this bill."
LOAD-DATE: October 17, 2000
