Copyright 2000 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Inc.
St.
Louis Post-Dispatch
January 21, 2000, Friday, FIVE STAR LIFT
EDITION
SECTION: BUSINESS, Pg. E1
LENGTH: 541 words
HEADLINE:
FCC RULING MAY ADD 1,000 LOW-POWER RADIO STATIONS
BYLINE: Kalpana Srinivasan; Associated Press Writer
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
BODY:
By summer, hundreds of new low-power radio stations could crop up on
the FM dial, giving voice to community groups, churches and even novice disc
jockeys.
The Federal Communications Commission adopted rules Thursday to
support the creation of at least 1,000 low-power stations to better serve the
needs of local communities. Officials said they envisioned a wide range of
interests -- from foreign languages to regional music -- getting representation
on the airwaves.
"Every day, it seems we read about more and more
consolidation in the broadcast area," said FCC Chairman Bill Kennard, the
driving force behind the plan. "What low-power FM radio will do
is create an important new outlet."
The commission hopes that by May it
will begin awarding the noncommercial, educational licenses to groups that want
to operate 100-watt and 10-watt stations -- far less than the 6,000 watts to
100,000 watts at which most FM stations now operate.
They would give
broadcasters between 4 miles and 7 miles of coverage area. Also, they could set
up shop for much lower costs because in many cases they can mount their antennas
atop a building rather than constructing a tower.
In the nation's
largest radio markets -- New York, Chicago and Los Angeles -- there will be no
room for 100-watt stations, according to the FCC.
Cities like the
District of Columbia could accommodate three 100-watt stations, while Miami has
room for four. Less dense parts of the country have room for dozens of stations,
the commission said.
The plan, approved by a 4-1 vote, still could face
a legal challenge from the nation's commercial broadcasters. They say that
adding hundreds of new stations to the FM channel will mean more interference
for existing stations.
"It's a sad day for radio listeners," declared
Edward Fritts, president of the National Association of Broadcasters.
Several lawmakers said they had the same reservations. Even some FCC
officials admitted they were uncertain about the effects.
"I must
confess that I have no clear idea as to whether or not existing broadcasters
will suffer intolerable interference," said FCC Commissioner Michael Powell, who
voted for the overall plan but dissented from parts of it.
He also
raised the possibility that new low-power stations would siphon away listeners
from existing small broadcasters, making it harder for those commercial stations
to get ad revenue to survive.
That could translate into "lost
opportunity for a minority or women to share in the fruits of the broadcasting
business," Powell said.
Opposing the plan was Commissioner Harold
Furchtgott-Roth, who also expressed concerns about possible interference with
existing FM stations.
The FCC rules place some requirements on
applicants. To hold a license during the first two years, groups must show that
they are headquartered in or have three-quarters of their members residing
within 10 miles of the proposed station.
No group can own more than one
low-power station nationwide during the first two years. The licenses will be
valid for 8-year, renewable terms and must broadcast at least 36 hours per week.
No existing broadcaster can have ownership or programming arrangements
with any low-power station.
LOAD-DATE: January 21, 2000
