Radio Bill Can't Get Play in Senate

A bill that would allow the Federal Communications Commission to give licenses to more noncommercial, localized radio stations is caught in static.

Jennifer Martinerz at politico.com reports, despite support from both sides of the aisle, including strong backing from Arizona Sen. John McCain, a group of Republican senators have successfully blocked the bill.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso currently has a hold on the measure, which would create a new crop of radio stations — known as low-power FM stations — dedicated to hyperlocal community news, such as information about school boards, city councils and church groups, or spreading music by local artists.

Congress has considered for nearly a decade allowing more low-power FM stations to enter the market. In 2000, Congress revoked the FCC’s authority to give licenses to low-power radio stations that are three clicks away from other stations on the radio dial — so-called third adjacent channels — and therefore limited low-power stations mostly to rural areas, where the airwaves aren’t as crowded.

There are already about 800 low-power FM stations in the U.S., according to the Media Access Project, a Washington-based advocacy group. Low-power FM stations operate at 100 watts or less and reach only a few miles. By comparison, the FM station WMMR in Philadelphia runs at 16,500 watts. Still, larger broadcasters worry the small stations could interfere with their signals.

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