Prior to the creation of LPFM by the FCC, there was a very active association of low power community broadcasting advocates. The organization evaporated the year after the first LPFM window opened (at least the website disappeared). And now it would appear, the same political pressure needs to brought to bear. The recent filing of a Part 15 study by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), has made oblique suggestions that low power transmitters provide unbearable interference and limits their ability to financially maintain their licenses. Hogwash. The "Trojan Horse" of the digital world (satellite radio, ipods, P2Pmusic, ect.) has stolen their thunder, along with internet streaming radio.
Prior to the creation of LPFM by the FCC, there was a very active association of low power community broadcasting advocates. The organization evaporated the year after the first LPFM window opened (at least the website disappeared). And now it would appear, the same political pressure needs to brought to bear. The recent filing of a Part 15 study by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), has made oblique suggestions that low power transmitters provide unbearable interference and limits their ability to financially maintain their licenses. Hogwash. The "Trojan Horse" of the digital world (satellite radio, ipods, P2Pmusic, ect.) has stolen their thunder, along with internet streaming radio.
HD radio is sucking some serious wind. The new radios necessary to pickup the new service suffer from poor signal sensitivity and a price tag that would choke a horse. Internet radio is spreading like wildfire. Most households in the U.S. already have a personal computer that comes with software able to listen to streaming audio. Plus, many programs like WinAmp are free and play nearly any streaming format including the new AAC+ codec.
So, maybe now is the time to renew efforts to petition the FCC for a low power AM band with commercial capabilities. The recent victory in Congress by LPFM advocates to eliminate the 3rd adjacent channel protection requirement is very significant. Why not lobby Congress for the new AM service? That is how LPFM came to be a reality.
The FCC continues to cater to licensed broadcaster organizations, while at the same time the U.S. Congress is hearing from their constituents about the dismal service mega-corp broadcasting is providing to small communities. Remember the incident a short time ago when one of Clear Channels "robot" stations would not the answer the call of local emergency management regarding a need to evacuate a town. A formal complaint was filed with the FCC. Clear Channel is, just now, answering the complaint with an energency preparedness system for their "robot" stations. I remember the day when that kind of response would have produced a sanction of some sort from the feds.
The NAB and other organizations representing licensed broadcasting are current living with a false sense of security with the acceptance of HD broadcasting from the FCC. So far, the results seem to be following the same trail of tears left by broadcasters over quad-FM and Am stereo. The NAB and like organizations are vulnerable at the moment.
My thought: let low power broadcasters find the new technologies listeners would be willing to pay for and listen to. Let the big boys make the big bucks and preserve their licenses and maintain stock values for thier investors. Let the microbroadcaster be the pioneer, again. Of course the mega-corp broadcasters would have to learn how to share the spectrum.
And to establish the impetus to begin this pioneering effort, Part 15 broadcasters should band together into a national organization for the purpose of forwarding the growth of a new low power community broadcaster service. A national organization could raise funding to hire a professional lobbyist to forward the issues important to Part 15 broadcasters. And funding to hire a FCC attorney to cut through the volumes of barnyard material shoved at federal regulators (the NAB Part 15 study). A national organization to provide the opportunity for Part 15 broadcasters to gather in Washington, D.C. to develop consensus on the cogent issues and demonstrate to Congress and regulators we are unwilling to lay down and just take whatever fate falls to us. A march on Capitol Hill to get the attention of Congress is worthwhile.
And now finally, the missing ingredient. We need to establish leadership willing to take a "whatever it takes" approach and begin developing consensus and a politiocal will among Part 15 broadcasters; leadership to develop an organization, a solid active membership and a treasury capable of getting the job done in D.C. If that person is you, step forward and raise your hand, hoot and holler. Let us know who you are. There's a bunch a folks willing to follow and commit to your success. How about you? What are your ideas? What are your possibilities?
That sounds like a good idea.An association of microbroadcasters banding together to push for a community broadcasting service. I would like to help out in some way.I couldn't do anything major because I'm still in high school. But if you have any suggestions for me to help, please let me know.Travis Allred B-1600/Real Country
www.geocities.com/wbgrradio/index.html
We Need to start a non profit lobby group(if possible) to gather funds to lobby washington with. Members would need to include LPFM, Part15 AM, and Future LPAM Stations and Part 15 FM Advocatates. They would need to pay dues each year. probably on the order of 500-600 USD. anything less would be like a midget pissing on a forest fire 🙂
Thank You,
Rev. Robert P. Chrysafis
Universal Life Ministries
http://www.ulc.org
Moderator Hunterdonfree
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hunterdonfree
Yes, some type of organized effort is needed.
Having said that I know that Rich Eyre over at RecNet has been doing quite a bit for low power broadcasting, including regularly sending Petitions for Rulemaking to the FCC on a variety of LP broadcasting issues. Also, John Anderson with his DIY Media site has done much to, not only report updates on low power broadcasting but also radio-related abuses by unscruplous corporations. Usually, he sends letters to the FCC as well.
Unfortunately, none of us (as far as I know) have the funding, the time or the connections to push true community radio before the eyes of legislators, at least not to the extent that the NAB can schmooze their agenda on policy makers. I have to laugh, because the NAB has made "localism" the new buzz word for their press releases and propaganda. The media conglomorates have taken it up as well and, in the process, totally distorted its meaning.
But there is strength in numbers and, to be sure, there are enough microbroadcasters out here to make an association.
DB52
I sort of fell into Radio Ready to Grow which is a Part-15 advocacy group. In fact, I'm chairman of the group. Right now, there are three people in the group including me. If others here on the board are interested in breathing life into this group, I am more than willing to put in the time as well.
Send me an email at [email protected] if you're interestest.
Frank
www.easthillradio.com
Wasn't it RRTG that petitioned the FCC for one watt power levels for part-15 TXs? Was it just for AM or was it for FM as well?
I believe Canada has set the max amount of power for a part-15 AM TX at one watt. It would be interesting to find out if any interference data is available from the Canadians on part-15 broadcasting at that power level.
It seems to me that what is needed is an overall strategy to show those who have the power how microbroadcasting/LPAM can help breathe new life into the AM band as well as be a true supporting service for the community. Prometheus Project is doing this for LPFM and it would be nice to see something similar for microbroadcasting.
Does Radio Ready to Grow have a website?
DB52
RRTG info links
http://lpam.net/part%2015b.htm
http://www.lpam.ws/rrtg_letter.pdf
http://www.recnet.com/fcc/RM-11287_revised.pdf
What would prevent LPAM from being taken over by the well-heeled religious broadcasters? Won't they just set up robot AM repeaters and eat up any newly available channels? There is precedent for this. If that happens, our little pea-shooter 1/10th watters will be useless.
1620AM Copperhead Radio,
Lucama NC
I have not built a website yet. I just changed careers and am very busy in my new life. So, I don't have a lot of extra time right now. But, a website is on my list.
Yes, RRTG did file for a Part-15 power increase. One watt on the medium-wave bands is not too much to want given today's higher noise levels.
Frank
www.easthillradio.com
Radio Ready To Grow (RRTG) could be just the organzational skeleton needed to pull together the resources necessary to take our Part 15 issues to Washington, D.C. The perspective that microbroadcasters don't have any clout is patently incorrect; and especially in a very contentious election year.
RRTG is already on the radar screen of policy makers and regulators. Begin by backing the efforts already begun. Letters to Congressmen and Senators informing them of the ground swell of support for the enhancement of community microbroadcasting would put these issues on the minds and agendas of congressional staff members. Write lots of letters; thousands of them. This is how we would find the legislators interested in supporting our cause. The possibility would then exist to develop a list of legislation sponsors for the next legislative session/cycle in 2007.
Politically, this would blunt the NAB Part 15 study, causing the FCC to put the subject on the back burner until Congress has hearings and brings their ideas to committee for debate and decision. RRTG would then give policy makers and regulators plenty to chew on. And with continued letter writing and lobbying, Part 15 advocates might finally start seeing movement on separating Part 15 devices from a new low power community microbroadcasting service on the AM band, which for the most part is considered by the broadcast industry as a great wasteland.
Frank, would the existing members of RRTG be up for such a task? RRTG could focus the energy of so many people to a pencil point beam. I would predict people would be willing to join and donate funds to make this magnificent effort possible. "People perish for a lack of vision." RRTG could be the vehicle providing the vision, the mission and the new National Association of Microbroadcasters. Part15.us might allow for a special reflector/forum for the purpose of organizing and communicating the progress of the group.
And finally, a group of 7-15 microbroadcasters need to throw their hat in the proverbial ring to be the charter leadership. If you are that person, speak up. Let's hear your ideas.
Marshall Johnson, Sr.
Senior Pastor, President
Rhema Christian Fellowship, Inc.
Rhema Radio - The Word In Worship
AM 1660 - FM 101.3
http://www.rhemaradio.org
My post:
An NAB for Part 15?
Why can't Part 15 stations get together and form our own kind of NAB? Then we would have a voice. I would be willing to join such a group, as long as it's active in protecting what little rights we have, and helping us gain more rights. We need something like this to keep Part 15 not only alive but to thrive. If the NAB has it's way, you wouldn't even have access to internet streaming, let alone your tiny Part 15 station. Can't we get together to stand up to this?
Yours Truly,
Mark Shannon
AM 1690 WOQ/Omaha's FUN Station
Your post
The reality of standing up to the political clout of the NAB is this: "money talks and '*******' walks." Not only would it take a large and growing group of microbroadcasters to agree to join together in consensus, but it would also require a membership willing to provide the cash to get the job done on Capitol Hill. How much are you willing to contribute on a regular/annual basis to hire a professional lobbyist? Ultimately, the FCC will not make new regualtions doing away with Part 15 devices with their support of Broadband Power Line (BPL) and other projects underway by the feds. They will wait for a sense of the Congress before they step off that cliff.
The LPFM'ers after decades of beating their collective heads against the stone-wall of the FCC, finally created the Prometheus Project and others to get Congress to create a community FM service. The same folks just had Congress pass a law to do away with the LPFM 3rd adjacent channel protection for licensed broadcasters. Licensed translators weren't even required to be under the same stringent technical regulation.
Please remember the three most important words in agency politics: justify, justify, justify. This is the exact reason for the submission of the report from the NAB. After gaining the attention of the FCC over converting broadcasting to digital, licensed broadcasters will now go on the offensive to protect their turf. The NAB loss in the House and Senate over the 3rd adjacent channel rule for LPFM should indicate to everyone who will listen to us and who won't.
Right now, find out who your Congressmen and Senators are and begin a flurry of well written letters to them and their staff members explaining the realities of public oriented broadcasting in our communities and how microbroadcasting fills in the blanks. Be substantive, be positive and offer future help when the time comes to make a decision on Part 15 broadcasting.
A national association will require consensus, money and a gathering of the flock of Part 15 believers in D.C. to demonstrate solidarity on the cogent issues facing all of us. And finally, it will require individuals willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. Is that you?
Marshall Johnson, Sr.
Senior Pastor, President
Rhema Christian Fellowship, Inc.
Rhema Radio - The Word In Worship
AM 1660 - FM 101.3
http://www.rhemaradio.org
Love the way you take other people's ideas and turn them into your own.
It's amazing what can be accomplished when it doesn't matter who gets the credit...
Great comment - let's all work together!
The reason I asked about a website, is that it would good to have some talking points for legislators or the FCC or whoever we would contact as to why a microbroadcasting or LPAM service is good for the community, posted where they could be easily accessed and used. Even a sample letter with these talking points would be helpful.
In addition, answers to common objections to this service such as those relating to interference or other issues could also be useful.
DB52
AM1690WOQ,
I don't take ownership of any of your statement. Nor would I want to. Your cynicisim regarding the NAB will never win a battle, forget the war. I did ask for people, like you, to flesh out a positive direction with ideas that other people can get behind. You might quit complaining about life as you understand it and begin controlling your environment. Maybe we could figure out how to help each other get what the other one wants. If its your idea, you must have thought it up more than a decade ago when a national association of low power broadcasters existed. As I have already pointed out, it went by the wayside after Congress acted on LPFM. Now, take the time and allow the rest of us the revelation of the scope of your imagination on the subject. We wait patiently.
Marshall Johnson, Sr.
Senior Pastor, President
Rhema Christian Fellowship, Inc.
Rhema Radio - The Word In Worship
AM 1660 - FM 101.3
http://www.rhemaradio.org