July 9, 2008

U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative,

The undersigned organizations ask that you co-sponsor H.R. 2802 (Doyle, D-PA and Terry R-NE), the Local Community Radio Act of 2007.  This bi-partisan legislation would authorize the Federal Communications Commission to license hundreds – if not thousands – of new Low Power FM (LPFM) radio stations in cities, towns, and suburbs across the country.

LPFM stations are non-commercial radio stations that operate at 100 watts or less – with a radius of approximately 3 to 5 miles.  The diverse group of undersigned organizations shares a commitment to broadcast media that serve the communities in which they are licensed.  


LPFMs begin to address many of the problems with our commercial media sector today.  While women make up 51 percent of the population they own just 6 percent of all radio stations.  Minorities comprise one third of the population but own just 7.7 percent of all radio stations.  And as more media outlets become concentrated into the hands of a few select corporations, LPFMs provide our towns and neighborhoods with a diversity of viewpoints, perspectives, voices, as well as music, arts, and culture often lacking from the commercial dial.  

Congress has the power to unleash a wave of new voices on our airwaves.  Consider what a radio dial with thousands of new stations – broadcasting the stories of the people living in its reach – can do.  LPFMs allow churches, schools, and civic organizations to provide programming that is responsive to the needs of their towns and cities.  

LPFMs have been on the air for only eight years, and already their remarkable power is apparent.  These stations have been lifelines during moments of crisis – such as KOCZ-LP, Opelousas Community Zydeco Radio in Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina.  They have provided immigrant communities with programming in their native languages – such as WCTI, the station of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, which has aided tremendously in leading successful campaigns for workers’ rights in the farming fields of southern Florida.  And they promote the talents of local artists and musicians – like WSCA-LP, a station licensed to Portsmouth, Maine that produces more than 25 hours per week of local arts, public affairs, and music programming.

We hope that Congress will act quickly to authorize the FCC to grant more LPFM licenses rests on Congress.  We respectfully ask that you add your name as a co-sponsor on this legislation and join supporters of localism, diversity on the airwaves, and variety on the dial nationwide.  Please contact the office of Congressman Doyle to add your name to H.R. 2802.

Thank you,

Alliance for Community Media
American Federation of Musicians, Local 99
Asian American Justice Center
CASA of Oregon
CCTV Center for Media and Democracy
Center for Creative Voices in Media
Center for Digital Democracy
Center for Media Justice
Common Cause
Common Frequency
Communications Workers of America
Consumers Federation of America
Consumers Union
Florida Media Coalition
Free Press
Future of Music Coalition
Interfaith Action of Southwest Florida
Media Access Project
Media Alliance
Media Mobilizing Project
MetroEast Community Media
Mexican American Opportunity Foundation
National Alliance for Media Arts and Culture
National Association of Independent Schools
National Catholic Educational Association
National Federation of Community Broadcasters
National Hispanic Media Coalition
National Organization of Women
New America Foundation Wireless Future Program
Oregon Alliance to Reform Media
Oregon Farm Worker Ministry
Prometheus Radio Project
Reclaim the Media
Rural Organizing Project
United Church of Christ Office of Communication, Inc.
Urbana Champaign Independent Media Center
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
US Public Interest Research Group

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HR2802_HouseReps_Letter final.pdf	47.41 KB