Copyright 2000 The Times-Picayune Publishing Co.
The Times-Picayune
September 3, 2000 Sunday, ORLEANS
SECTION: NATIONAL; Pg. 06
LENGTH: 1063 words
HEADLINE:
LOW-POWER RADIO FIGHT REACHING HIGH DECIBELS;
CONSERVATIVE STATIONS PUT OFF
BY GOP BLOCK
BYLINE: By Bruce Alpert, Washington bureau
BODY:
WASHINGTON -- Some Louisiana church leaders
hoping to begin radio broadcasts with low-power FM licenses
planned by the Clinton administration are expressing frustration with
traditional GOP allies on Capitol Hill who want to delay or block
implementation.
"I don't know what they are worried about," said Glen
Nash, pastor of Grace Community Church in Jonesboro, one of 66 applicants
seeking low-power FM licenses from the Federal Communications
Commission. "I am a Republican. I'm going to vote for George W. Bush. All I want
to do is put some good religious programming on the air."
The
GOP-sponsored legislation, which passed the House in April, would block the FCC
from implementing its plan to license 1,000 "micro radio stations" across the
country. Under the legislation, the FCC would be limited to a pilot program to
determine if the stations create interference with existing FM stations, as
claimed by commercial broadcasters. The agency wouldn't be able to start a
full-scale program without specific congressional approval.
-- Looking
for variety --
The low-power program was created by the FCC to diversify
radio. FCC Chairman William Kennard says that in most markets, the variety of
programming has steadily declined over the past two decades, partly as a result
of consolidations, in which many stations are now owned by corporate owners
based far from the broadcast market.
"People don't feel they have a
local voice," Kennard said.
The argument that Congress is motivated by a
desire to protect constituents from radio interference isn't convincing many in
the surprisingly large first batch of 769 low-power applicants, nearly half of
whom represent churches and other religious groups. Many were drawn by the
reduced cost of operating stations; with the advances in computer software,
stations now can operate without any staff.
"To me, this is maybe about
pressure from lobbyists from the radio industry saying, 'Please don't cut into
my advertising dollars,'" said David Vise, youth minister at First Baptist
Church of Mansfield and a low-power applicant. "We don't even have any signals
that originate here to interfere with."
Vise is planning a range of
religious programming, including music and what he calls "accurate information
regarding spiritual matters." Nash said his station's emphasis would be
programming for young people, including rock 'n' roll with a Christian message.
"There is a great need for this programming, because churches are by and
large not reaching the younger generations, the generation Xers," Nash said.
-- Proceeding slowly --
Kevin Cox, representing the Calvary, a
small New Orleans church, said he plans to base a station in Arabi if the FCC
gives its OK. He won't discuss his programming plans for competitive reasons.
But he's eager to talk about the opposition to low-power radio by
members of Congress, some of whom he considers allies in the conservative
movement. "It's not something that makes me very happy," Cox said.
Ken
Johnson, spokesman for Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-Chackbay, one of the key movers
behind the House-passed legislation, said Congress has good reason to proceed
slowly with low-power radio.
"This isn't about politics. It's about
policy," Johnson said. "The FCC is blindly moving ahead with low-power radio
stations, without answering some very serious questions about the potential
interference problems. Certainly, no one wants to deny churches, schools and
civic organizations a voice in their community. But at what cost?"
Johnson noted that the National Association of Broadcasters, the
industry group, has research indicating that the new 10-watt and 100-watt
stations, capable of reaching a radius of 1 to 10 miles, could seriously impede
the signals of existing stations. The FCC says its research indicates no such
problems.
"So, what we're calling for is a trial period to determine who
is right," Johnson said.
-- Second thoughts --
But with so many
conservative religious groups among the first group of applicants, some members
of Congress may be having second thoughts about blocking the plan, even
temporarily.
It's now uncertain whether the Senate will act on either
the House-passed bill or a separate bill that would block any implementation of
the FCC low-power radio program before Congress adjourns in early October.
Vise said Congress should consider that those "of us who want to inform
people about the Gospel represent a lot of voters."
Not all applicants
are religiously based or conservative, however.
Applicants in the metro
area include the New Orleans ACORN Education project, which advocates more
government low-income housing support; the Jefferson Parish government, which
wants to broadcast emergency weather warnings and some government council
meetings; and the Music Business Institute Inc. of New Orleans, which plans to
broadcast locally produced music not available on commercial radio, along with
interviews with local artists and educational programming.
"I feel that
being fearful of competition is not a legitimate enough reason not to open up
radio so more people can participate," said Eric Cager, executive director of
the Music Business Institute. "Even with cable access and the Internet and
things of that nature, there is really not a level playing field."
Andrew Jay Schwartzman, president of Media Access Project, an advocacy
group, said that while the large number of conservative religious groups
applying for licenses surprised some, the fact is that the applicants represent
diverse views and philosophies.
"We never thought of low-power radio
that split on purely liberal-conservative, left or right, secular or religious
groups," he said. "The applicants so far represent scores of demographic niches
and interest groups that have gone underserved in the various communities across
the country as a result of radio consolidation."
Dennis Wharton,
spokesman for the National Association of Broadcasters, said his members aren't
afraid of more voices or more competition, but object to the FCC's large-scale
plan out of a desire to protect "our listeners from more interference."
"We're not in this alone," he said, noting that opponents also include
the National Association of Religious Broadcasters, National Public Radio and
groups representing radio manufacturers.
LOAD-DATE: September 3, 2000
