Copyright 2000 Star Tribune
Star Tribune
(Minneapolis, MN)
January 22, 2000, Saturday, Metro Edition
SECTION: VARIETY; Pg. 8E
LENGTH: 626 words
HEADLINE:
More diversity on FM dial is good news - isn't it?
BYLINE: Noel Holston; Staff Writer
BODY:
The Federal Communications Commission's vote
Thursday to open the FM radio dial to 1,000 or more new low-power stations is
supposed to be a great victory for "the people," but finding people who were
dismayed or anxious about it was easier than finding people who were elated.
Certainly the commercial radio interests
aren't happy. Edward Fritts, president of the National Association of
Broadcasters, accused the FCC of ruining FM radio for everyone. "Every
legitimate scientific study validates that additional interference will result"
from low-power FM, he said in a statement Thursday. "This FCC
has chosen advancement of social engineering over spectrum integrity. It's a sad
day for radio listeners."
Fritts'
organization did everything in its power to stop the low-power expansion, and it
isn't giving up the fight. But he conveniently ignores the fact that the FCC
might not have felt the need to "social engineer" some diversity if the
conglomerated commercial broadcasters provided more time for minority or
public-service programming. Moreover, the licenses that the FCC plans to allot
to community groups will be strictly noncommercial, so the 1-, 10-, 50- and
100-watt stations will not compete with the big guys for advertising dollars.
What was surprising was the lack of
whole-hearted support for the FCC's ruling among existing noncommercial
broadcasters.
At the University of
Minnesota's Radio K (770 AM), general manager Andy Marlowe said the FCC is
trying to correct diversity problems it aggravated by allowing broadcast
conglomerates to own more stations in individual markets. He predicted that the
FM expansion will result in a slew of "fifth class" stations that are "woefully
underpowered."
At least Radio K doesn't
have to worry about its signal getting fuzzed up. It's an AM. Fresh Air Radio,
KFAI, is another story. Not only is it FM (90.3 in Minneapolis, 106.7 in St.
Paul), but it's not much more powerful than the new outlets will be.
General manager David McKay said he and
KFAI's board had "mixed feelings" about the low-power expansion. They're
concerned about signal interference, especially in St. Paul. "106.7 is not a
regular radio station," he said. "It's a translator [a signal relayer], and it's
not protected by the same rules. Someone could file for a frequency at or very
close to that signal and have a dramatic impact. And we couldn't do a thing
about it."
On the other hand, diversity is
a founding principle of KFAI. Its schedule is a smorgasbord of programs for and
by members of minority communities and fans of musical genres poorly represented
on mainstream radio. So KFAI would feel an obligation to help new low-power
licensees, or perhaps form partnerships with them, McKay said.
.
Who will apply?
No one knows how
many low-power FM frequencies will be assigned to the Twin
Cities area. Who will apply is anybody's guess as well. One certain applicant is
Alan Freed. His unauthorized low-power station, Beat Radio, was shut down by the
FCC in 1996.
Freed doesn't know whether
his constituency _ fans of techno and other contemporary dance music _ make up
the sort of "community group" that the FCC wants low-power FM
to serve. But he's more concerned about being denied a license because he
engaged in what he considers an act of civil disobedience but that the FCC
labeled "piracy."
"That would be like
saying, 'Rosa Parks, you caused a lot of trouble in Montgomery. We're gonna open
the buses up to everybody, but you can't ride,' " Freed said.
For more information about the FCC's
ruling and the application process, phone 1-888-CALLFCC, or check out its
low-power FM Web site: www.fcc.gov/mmb/prd/lpfm.
LOAD-DATE: January 24, 2000