New FCC Rules Displace more LPFMs - Get Ready to Fight Back!
We've got good news and bad news. Bad news: on January 19th, the FCC changed the procedure for Full Power Stations to change their community of license (CCOL). This means that more of our low power FM stations around the country, will be threatened with encroachment- the possibility that their station could be knocked off the air. Learn more about encroachment here .
But there is good news too: Here are some steps you can take to defend your station, a station in your community, or stations all across the country that might get knocked off the air!
Additionally, you should visit SaveLocalFM.org ; another resource for threatened LPFMs.
When a full power station changed its community of license (COL), the city or town that it was serving with its broadcast, generally had to wait 3-5 years for the FCC to complete the two-step processing of their application. With this procedural change, this has now been reduced to one step - a minor modification of the license - that can be processed over the course of only a couple of months. The consequence of this new rule making will be an acceleration of encroachment on LPFMs and the rushing-in of full power stations to America's biggest markets.
We have already begun to see this process expedited -- as 140 applications for community license change have been filed since January 19th. These applications, if processed, would ultimately impact between 40 and 60 LPFMs and hundred of station translators. The impact will range from low power FM stations suffering from smaller coverage ranges and more interference, to some low power FM stations being totally knocked off the air as a full power station moves in. Most impacted by move-ins will be LPFMs in rural areas where moving full power stations leave frequencies unavailable for community LPFMs.
Good News: Though the FCC rule making, which sped up the move-in process is no longer open to comment, we are ready to work with threatened LPFM licensees, and concerned media makers and allies, to challenge this new way that community radio is getting bullied! With this new level of encroachment upon us, there are a number of steps you might take to address the current encroachment of your station and to prevent further encroachment on hundreds of other stations around the country.
Here are some steps you can take to defend your station, a station in your community, or stations all across the country that might get knocked off the air!
INFORMAL OBJECTION
If you are an LPFM that is newly facing encroachment from a full power station that has filed for CCOL, the one path of recourse established by the FCC is to file an informal objection to the encroaching full power station's application within 60 days. Though there is no electronic filing system for informal objections, we have developed an online letter that will help you generate an informal object to submit to the FCC.
Proceed to the informal letter of objection
CHECK OUT THE FILING APPLICATION
Get a lawyer to check out the application of the encroaching full power station. Many times, the application itself is incomplete or not officially complete. An inspection of the application may be a relatively simple way to stop movement of a full power station. If you need help finding a good lawyer, we have a list of folks we have worked with here
TELL YOUR STATION'S STORY
One of the biggest tools we have in this work are our own stories. Persuade the FCC that your station is a valuable and irreplaceable resource to the community that, if eliminated, would be a major loss for people in the community. Besides working on an informal objection, if your station is under new encroachment, you can write a letter to the FCC that talks about the importance of your station, and how vital it is for your community. Document the service your station provides through newspaper articles, endorsements, city counsel resolutions, letters written by community or station members.
Please contact us if you are filing a letter, want to write another letter to the FCC about your station, or if you need help with any of these tasks.
John Wenz: John (at) prometheusradio.org or 215 727 9620 x521
CONNECT
Connect with other LPFMs that have dealt with encroachment. We can help you find people and examples that can help you through the process, offer advice, guidance, and suggestions for your own process.
Please contact us if you are filing a letter, want to write another letter to the FCC about your station or if you need help with any of these tasks.
John Wenz: John (at) prometheusradio.org or 215 727 9620 x521
