McCain continues fight for community radio

While the future of Chicago's only 100% free-form radio station, WZRD-FM, is still in limbo, there was some promising news from Washington this week that could potentially lead to space for more stations like WZRD on your radio dial in the future. (from radioandrecords.com, allaccess.com) Sens. McCain, Maria Cantwell and Patrick Leahy yesterday (2/9) introduced the Local Community Radio Act, which would allow additional low-power FM radio stations to go on the air and stop further studies on how LPFMs may interfere with existing FM stations. McCain said, "While low-power FM stations were authorized five years ago, implementation has been severely hampered by commercial broadcasters' flagrantly exaggerated claims of interference. The most recent obstruction, a two-year study conducted at the behest of broadcasters, cost taxpayers over $2 million and proved what the FCC and community groups have known for years: Low-power FM stations will not cause significant interference to other broadcasters' signals. It is time for broadcasters to stop hiding behind false claims of interference when they are really afraid of the competition from truly local broadcasters." Cantwell's statement added that “large broadcasters have tried to block access for low power FM stations using tired arguments that don't hold up to reality. This is an important fight to ensure that these affordable, community-oriented radio stations are allowed access to our nation's airwaves.” Leahy's quote says that "(f)or too long now the number of low power FM stations the FCC could license has been limited by unrealistic and unnecessary rules requiring these smaller stations to search for available frequencies far from any full-power broadcaster. This bill will open up the airwaves to truly local broadcasting while protecting full-power broadcasters from unreasonable interference and preserving important services such as reading services for the blind.”