A
community radio station can offer something for almost everyone.
·
It strengthens community identity.
·
It creates an
outlet for amateur musicians to get their music heard.
·
It creates an
opportunity for young people, especially college students, who are interested in
radio to learn about the business.
·
Local public affairs programs, such as news,
youth training, local sporting events, neighborhood history, city council
hearings, election debates, call-in shows with local figures, politicians, and
advice programs with doctors, lawyers, or other professionals.
It can provide farmers with up to date
agricultural information.
·
Activist programs that explore different issues,
such as the environment, education or health care.
·
Cultural programs, such as the worlds many
musical traditions, radio theatre, dramatic readings of novels, poetry,
interviews, etc.
It creates
diversity on the air because women and racial minorities are represented.
As a sponsor your community organization can
promote the public good by acting as steward of a station designed for the whole
community - almost like a library of the airwaves.
Applying for an LPFM license is affordable, and the cost to build a station is relatively low ($15,000 to $25,000). While there is no guarantee that every application will be successful, the following questions are designed to help you assess your qualifications.
Individuals are not allowed to apply - only
non-profit groups or community organizations. Your organization does not,
however, have to be a tax exempt 501(c)(3). Organizations that have been in
existence for two or more years get preference, so it is advantageous (but
not necessary) that your organization be at least that old. No one
who already owns a major media outlet can have a LPFM station. The service is
entirely non-commercial, though underwriting, similar to what you hear on
National Public Radio, is allowed.
LPFM transmitters are about the size of a
toaster oven, and antennas don't have to be any bigger than the television
antennas people put on the roof of their houses, but the higher they are, the
better your coverage. The FCC does not allow you to build a station if you are
too close to an already existing channel.
The FCC gives a preference to organizations who pledge that they will be producing at least 8 hours per day of local programming. The FCC also gives preference to stations that plan to operate at least 12 hours per day. If you have DJ's playing their favorite records, that is considered local as long as they are local people, not a satellite fed national program. The FCC may choose not to allow convicted felons to be holders of broadcast licenses. There are many exceptions to this policy, but it is easier if there are no felons.
There is no application or licensing fee with
the FCC, no one knows when this window (or windows) will be opened and, as is
the nature of FCC broadcast applications, if you wait until the window is
announced to begin your application, you probably won't have time to "pull it
all together" before the filing window comes and goes. You should begin the
preparation and filing process long before the filing window is announced so
that you may be fully prepared with a completed application when the filing
window is announced. Upon the granting of a construction permit, you have 18
months to construct your station.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-power_broadcasting#Local_Community_Radio_Act_of_2009
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