Low-power stations imperiled as giants gobble up frequencies

Cox News Service

By Josh Sanburn

Washington – For most of his working life, Jim Price has been helping others establish community radio stations in every state of the country. But now, as president of his own station in Ringgold, Ga., he might soon be out of a job.

Price runs WBFC-LP, a low-power radio station that serves his North Georgia community, broadcasting local Southern gospel music and public service announcements.

But about 60 miles north of Ringgold in McMinnville, Tenn., Clear Channel Communications, which owns hundreds of radio stations across the country, is waiting for an application to go through the Federal Communications Commission that would allow it to begin broadcasting on Price’s frequency.

“They moved in on the channel that I chose back in 2000,” Price said. “Two of us can’t operate on the same channel. That is the threat, and I’ve got nowhere to go.”

For Price to continue broadcasting, he would have to reapply for an LPFM frequency and possibly move his station elsewhere.

Price, who established his LPFM station in March 2004, is among many local radio presidents, broadcasters and producers who are feeling the heat of conglomerates like Clear Channel.

On Thursday, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) announced plans to introduce legislation within two weeks to protect LPFM stations from corporate interference.

Slaughter championed LPFM alongside the band the Indigo Girls, who said they were concerned about the loss of community-oriented broadcasting, including in Atlanta.

“Atlanta has seen a lot of radio consolidation,” said Amy Ray, one of the band’s members. “We really need for those outlying areas of Atlanta, in the inner city of Atlanta, and all those areas to have opportunities, because they have unique aspects of their community and unique things going on.”

FCC spokeswoman Rebecca Fisher said the commission was reviewing the issue.

Congress mandated that LPFM have secondary status, which means commercial stations take precedence on the airwaves. “Unfortunately, full-power FM just has a higher status,” Fisher said.

LPFM licenses were created in 2000 to allow community-oriented broadcasting within a 3- to 7-mile radius and are available only to “noncommercial educational entities and public safety and transportation organizations,” according to the FCC. The licenses are free to those entities and not available to “individuals or for commercial operations.”

However, LPFM stations like Price’s are increasingly being pushed out.

A similar case is under investigation by the FCC involving three Idaho companies that received 1,026 free translator stations, which are low-power but are not required to broadcast noncommercial content. Radio Assist Ministry Inc., Edgewater Broadcasting Inc. and World Radio Link have sold 85 of those stations and have made close to $800,000. There are currently no rules in place to prevent individuals from receiving large numbers of translator stations or selling them, said Harold Feld, a lawyer challenging the three groups.

Eric Burns, a spokesman for Slaughter, said her legislation would direct the FCC to prevent future encroachment by large companies. Clear Channel was unavailable for comment.

A bill introduced to a Senate committee in February would ensure that licenses are available to both translator and LPFM stations based on the needs of each community.

Price said he doubted he would get what he ultimately wants anytime soon: primary status for LPFM. What would that mean for people like him?

“I can’t be bumped. I’m a real radio station,” he said. “I dream about that.”