"57 CHANNELS  (AND NOTHIN' ON)"

Why do most radio stations 

leave me feeling like a 

"Stranger In A Strange Land"?
 
 
 
 
 
 

   Because they can.
 
 
 
 
 
 

  Competition between 
  radio station owners 
  used to prevent 
  too many ads or 
  overly bland or 
  insulting programming. 
 
 

  You could turn the dial 
  to "the other guy".
 
 

  Then the 1996 Telecom
  Act allowed a huge
  merger frenzy so that ...
 
 

  Now "... 
  we are the Other Guy", 
  says George Sosson, 
  Clear Channel Inc. 
  senior vice president.
 
 
 
 

FCC  Commissioner Gloria Tristani said, 

"less than 3% of radio stations are 
minority owned ... 

Black-owned stations dropped 26% 
and 
Hispanic-owned stations dropped 9% 

between 1995 and 1997." 
 
 
 
 
 
 

35% of all advertising revenue 
last year went to the top three
[soon to be two] station owner groups:

• Chancellor Media/Capstar, 

(Chancellor became "AMFM") 
• Clear Channel/Jacor Communications 

(merging with AMFM)
• CBS Radio/Infinity Broadcasting

Before the 1996 Telecom Act that 
allowed these mergers, the largest 
radio chain owned only 38 radio stations. 
When the latest AMFM/Clear Channel 
merger is complete, they will dominate 830 stations.

" ...common for two or three companies 
to own 80% to 90% of the radio ad revenues 
in a market. 
In Rochester, N.Y., for example, 
14 stations owned by CBS, Jacor and Entercom 
held 94% of the radio ad revenues in 1997, 
according to Duncan's American Radio, a research firm"

THE BOTTOM LINE: --Grab The Brass Ring-- The Federal Communication Commission has recently proposed to open thousands of new  legal  frequencies on the FM dial and restrict their control to  new and local groups/people.    This proposed new set of rules is referred to as the Low Power Radio Service (LPRS). ALERT: DEADLINE : VOTE ON LPRS IS 1/20/2000! The LPRS would CREATE COMPETITION  by enabling thousands of new and new local community, church or small business radio stations to serve those ignored by current radio stations.     A stable society  is an inclusive  and just society. The LPRS, is designed to encourage a diversity of cultures represented on the airwaves  by encouraging a diversity of ownership/control.    A diversity of people and organizations  with different values and priorities  will create a more inclusive media  (and therefore government policy)  because they will have different definitions  of what is “newsworthy” and “viable”  for sharing on the public's airwaves.      Please urge your federal elected representatives to write a public letter to the Federal Communications Commission  in support of a Low Power Radio Service with strong local and new localonly ownership provisions. BEFORE FCC VOTE 1/20/00 Click here for more information on vital points on ownership provisions. (ask your elected representative to use the example of the "Bonior Letter") [click here to read]

The LPFM Radio Web Ring [PREVIOUS] [NEXT]  [RANDOM] [LIST SITES]  Click here to join the ring!

Contact Information for Congress HERE

FREE LPRS eZine

RESTORE
COMPETITION

Lookup 
Your Congressmen
and Senators
by ZIP Code HERE

Unrepresentative
Radio is 
Taxation
Without 
Representation

1) FCC moves up vote on the Low Power Radio Service to 1/20/00 ... BEFORE the vitally linked Digital Audio Broadcasting (IBOC) proceedings are finished. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR COMMUNITY DEMOCRATIC RADIO? 2) "Goliath" will now  attempt to kill Community  Radio with the Digital Radio Farce.   3) Allies of Big  Broadcasters in Congress  are attempting to threaten  FCC with "Reauthorization Hearings."     4) Failing that, friends of  monopoly are taking a direct assault ...  Rep Oxley has sponsored HR3439,  The "Radio Broadcasting Preservation Act of 1999" That would specifically kill the Low Power Radio Service by preserving the near monopoly that the big broadcasters enjoy at taxpayer expense.   FREE LPRS eZine Subscribe for updates or CLICK HERE FOR UPDATES

A stable society 
is an inclusive
and just society.
 
 

A healthy democracy hears from everyone, not just the
beautiful or profitable people.
 
 

 WHY doesn't the 
"Almighty Market"
 Serve Everyone?
 
 

Media is the 
lifeblood of 
a Free Society", 

ARGUMENTS: LPRS Discussion Corruption and  prejudices can destroy this opportunity  if we don't act!

"Information is the  currency of democracy.",

Full Index of documents
on this web site as 
well as the hundreds 
of links to the outside 
world. 
SELECTED LINKS:

• Frequently Asked Questions

 
• What's Wrong With Radio: Beancounters Rule Radio...

 
• Solutions Summary.

 
• Bonior Letter in support of the Low Power Radio Service.

 
• Classical Music is commercially viable (and therefore a violation of the founding reasons for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting).

Abstract to "Public Radio in the United States: Does it correct market failure or Cannibalize Commercial Stations?"
Read also on why the CPB is oft called the Corporation for Petroleum Broadcasting
 
• Television & Entertainment column on the apparent political motivations masquerading as technical arguments against the Low Power Radio Service.

 
• Low Power Radio Service summary and discussion. Political corruption and racism may be the ultimate reason the anticompetitive actions of those seeking to monopolize the radio dial may succeed!

 
• discussion.

 
• discussion.

 
• Consolidation ... Its not just about having all the money ... its about control

• Radio Will Never Be The Same
• Dead Air: When the FCC destroys "pirate" community radio, it also destroys the community
• KIND Radio: An example of a "pirate" radio station helping the community

 

• FCC Commissioner Tristani "Keeping the local in local radio"

 
• FCC Commissioner Tristani," Broadcast Views"

 
• FCC page on the Low Power Radio Service

 
• FCC Chairman Kennard 

 
• Kennard's Speech to NAB  re: LPRS (25 min in)  (Note] Very interesting that the RealAudio recording of his speech was cut off RIGHT AT THE LPRS comments!

Duncan's Radio Report...