Copyright 2000 Plain Dealer Publishing Co.
The
Plain Dealer
February 1, 2000 Tuesday, FINAL / ALL
SECTION: EDITORIALS & FORUM; Pg. 8B
LENGTH: 372 words
HEADLINE: A
FEW WATTS BETWEEN FOES
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With its syndicated
hosts, top-40 songs and consumer-tested formats, radio is a medium not known for
diversity.
Forget about stations airing music that can't be neatly
categorized or serving as community soapboxes. Except for college stations, the
electronic village square has been banished from the public airwaves.
But perhaps not for long. Withstanding a barrage of criticism from
commercial radio stations, the Federal Communications Commission recently
approved the creation of low-power FM radio stations. The
result could be a revolution for listeners and amateur broadcasters, or just
static.
Unfortunately, there is some justification for fearing the
latter. It would have been far better for the FCC to start a pilot program
first, instead of rushing in where only radio pirates have dared to tread.
The problem is that neither the FCC nor the National Association of
Broadcasters, which represents commercial stations, really knows if the
low-power stations will overrun the airwaves.
The NAB fears the new
noncommercial stations will cause interference, drowning out the signals of
advertiser-supported radio, particularly at the outer reaches of the big boys'
markets. Dennis Wharton, the NAB's vice president of communications, said this
could cost commercial stations both listeners and income.
Wharton says
the NAB's tests confirm that interference will be a problem. The FCC's data show
just the opposite.
However, to calm fears, the stations are to be truly
faint - no more than 100 watts, compared with the 6,000 watts accorded the
tiniest commercial stations. The noncommercial stations' broadcast range would
be no more than three miles, according to the FCC, and low-wattage stations
would be assigned frequencies three channels away from any existing channel.
The NAB, unimpressed, is considering a lawsuit. It is lobbying dozens of
members of Congress to support a bill forbidding the amateurs from taking to the
airwaves.
It would be better to wait for evidence of problems, but the
commercial broadcasters aren't the only ones who are being hasty.
So is
the FCC. If the agency is wrong, an explosion of low-power stations could lead
to cacophony. That should not be on the FCC's playlist.
COLUMN: EDITORIALS
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February 2, 2000 
