From: Soenke Zehle <br00492@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

Action Alert : Please Distribute

Contact the Federal Communications  Comission in Support of the
Legalization of Micro-Radio

Summary:

Activists of all stripes understand the need for a polyvocal, multicentered
communications network that is autonomous from the interests of business
and mainstream politics. The tangible possibility that we might see the
beginnings of such a network has appeared as a result of at least a
decade's worth of activism on the part of Free Radio activists across the
United States.

On January 28 of 1999, the FCC released a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (a
series of questions seeking public comment) concerning the possible
legalization of some form of low-powered radio. The deadline for comments
is June 1, and it is imperative that all activists concerned with the media
file comments supporting non-commercial, locally-based community radio.
(See below for a link to the text of the Notice).

Among topics for comment, we suggest the following:
1. The new low power FM stations should be non-commercial
2. The FCC should only license stations up to 100 watts, so that there can
be the maximum number of new stations
3. Low power stations should not be required to provide channel protection
to other stations - their much lower power makes such restrictions
unnecesary
4. Station license holders should live in the community the station would
serve
5. Sale or transfer of station licenses should be prohibited
6. Stations should broadcast at least 75% local programming
7. When two or more people apply for a license, the FCC should use a
mechanism other than auction to the highest bidder to resolve the matter
8. The FCC should not exclude from participation people who engaged in
civil disobedience by broadcasting without a license when none were
available.

To file a comment:

* log on at http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html
All comments must include full name, mailing address, and the docket
number: MM Docket No. 99-25.
* send for e-mail filing instructions to ecfs@xxxxxxx, including the
following in the body of the message: "get form <your e-mail address>." You
will get a sample form and instructions in reply.

Links:

Information on the activities of the Committee on Democratic Communications
of the National Lawyers Guild.
http://www.nlgcdc.org/fcc.html

Links to 75+ microradios all over North America and the world; information
on the Microradio Empowerment Coalition; much more.
http://www.radio4all.org/

The text of the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rule Making:
http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Mass_Media/Notices/1999/fcc99006.txt

Transcript of a interview with Peter Franck & Barbara Olshansky on "Micro
Radio and the FCC."
http://www.fair.org/counterspin/micro-transcript.html

A brief blurb and ordering information on Greg Ruggiero's Microradio &
Democracy: (Low) Power to the People. Ruggiero is a NYC microradio/media
activist and plaintiff in Free Speech vs. FCC lawsuit.
http://www.sevenstories.com/micro.htm

Alert compiled by: Binghamton Greens

Contacts:

Soenke Zehle
br00492@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Binghamton Greens

Web page coming soon!

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