[Imc-bigmuddy] [Fwd: Fwd: File NOW to Build More Community Radio Stations & Tell Congress: Expand LPFM!]

[Treesong of Big Muddy IMC]

Hello,

Wow, we're actually receiving non-spam mail at our radio at bigmuddyimc.org 
account! This is a good sign... and an important email, no less.

Love and Healing,

Treesong

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	Fwd: File NOW to Build More Community Radio Stations & Tell 
Congress: Expand LPFM!
Date: 	Sun, 21 Aug 2005 00:27:33 -0400
From: 	tombik at siu.edu <tombik at siu.edu>
To: 	radio at bigmuddyimc.org



FYI, in case you didn't already know.

Please share with others.

Thanks for all of your work.

Tom Bik/Laurel Toussaint
WDBX members




---------Included Message----------
>Date: 19-Aug-2005 18:26:41 -0500
>From: "Hannah Sassaman" <hannahjs at prometheusradio.org>
>To: <undisclosed-recipients>
>Subject: File NOW to Build More Community Radio Stations & 
Tell Congress:  Expand LPFM!
>
>Attention Community Radio Supporters!
>
>(print this email here:
>http://media.prometheusradio.org/dropbox/rulemaking_LCRA_email.
doc
>-- and email hannahjs at prometheusradio.org to be removed from 
this list!
>forward widely.)
>
>Greetings from the Prometheus Radio Project! If you don't 
remember us,
>we're the group in Philadelphia that works to support, expand, 
and
>advocate for Low Power FM (LPFM) radio.  
>
>We're writing you this quick note to let you know that because 
of your
>organizing in your communities, city councils, and on Capitol 
Hill,
>you've convinced both the Senate and the House of 
Representatives to
>introduce bills that would expand Low Power FM radio!
>
>You have also convinced the Federal Communications Commission 
that
>changes need to be made to the current rules governing Low 
Power FM
>radio service so that it can continue to prosper and grow; now 
is the
>time to tell the FCC how important local media is to 
communities all
>across the country! Comments are due August 22nd, and you can 
send in
>reply comments to others' comments anytime before September 
6th.  If we
>work together, we can bring LPFM to thousands more communities 
across
>the United States!  It isn't too late to file.
>
>We're asking you to file comments at the FCC, and to make 
appointments
>with your Congressmembers while they are home in district.  
Please visit
>http://www.prometheusradio.org/lpfm to make an appointment, 
and file
>comments NOW at 
http://www.prometheusradio.org/comments_fcc.shtml.  Read
>on to learn more about how you can help bring LPFM to 
thousands more
>communities across the country.
>
>* * * * *
>
>FCC SEEKS COMMENTS ON LOW POWER RADIO
>
>There is still time to make your voice heard on the critical 
issues
>facing low power radio service!  The Federal Communications 
Commission
>has extended the deadline, at the behest of the National 
Association of
>Broadcasters, for filing comments on MM Docket #99-25, 
Creation of a Low
>Power Radio Service. On July 7th, the FCC released a Notice of 
Proposed
>Rulemaking, seeking comment on a number of important issues 
facing low
>power radio service and operators. The Proposed Rulemaking 
takes up
>issues ranging from the rules governing transfer of LPFM 
licenses,
>Construction Permit durations, LPFM application windows, the 
status of
>translator stations in relation to LPFM, to encroachment 
issues.
>Changes in many of these regulations would expand and 
facilitate low
>power radio service in communities nationwide. 
>
>This is the most important opportunity for you to comment on 
the
>direction of LPFM since the service was implemented 5 years 
ago.
>Whether you are an LPFM operator who faced stumbling blocks 
because of
>the structure of the current rules, or a die-hard supporter of 
local
>community media, your comments could help shape the future of 
low power
>radio.  A short statement of support suffices to inform the 
FCC that low
>power radio provides critical media services in communities 
all across
>the country; personal stories from low power radio listeners 
and
>operators describing the impact  LPFM has had in their 
communities are
>especially effective.
>
>Check out our website, 
http://www.prometheusradio.org/comments_fcc.shtml
>for the (rather bulky) text of the rulemaking, and for a list 
of
>questions drawn from it that will help guide your comments.  
You can
>file comments with the FCC on our website as well, using our 
handy
>comment tool!  It can take as little as one minute flat, and 
you will
>join thousands of people across the country in urging the FCC 
to take
>the crucial steps to expand and support local, community-based 
media
>projects.
>
>* * * * *
>
>ACT NOW ON LOW POWER RADIO LEGISLATION!
>
>Legislation will be soon be introduced in the House of 
Representatives
>that would expand Low Power FM to reach thousands more 
communities
>across the US!  You can really make a difference with this 
bill if you
>meet with your congressperson, as soon as possible, while 
he/she is in
>his/her home district through August, and let them know that 
you want
>them to support the bill. 
>
>The tentative name of the bill is "The Enhance and Protect 
Local
>Community Radio Act of 2005", and it will be introduced by 
Louise
>Slaughter, a Democrat from New York. It would repeal the law 
which
>restricted Low Power radio to the third-adjacent channel, thus 
freeing
>up thousands more spots on the dial for local, community-run 
radio. This
>bill also describes reasonable guidelines the government can 
implement
>to ensure that there will be space on our airwaves for local 
community
>radio now, and as we transition to a primarily digital future.
>
>Can we depend on you to meet with your representative in
>district, and ask him/her to support Low Power radio? Your 
phone call or
>in-person visit with your Congressperson could mean the 
difference
>between a bipartisan bill on LPFM that allows thousands more 
stations to
>be built and a piece of legislation that stagnates and dies in 
the
>House.  If you have a Republican representative, all the 
better!
>Republican co-sponsors on this critical bill, which takes up a
>bipartisan issue, will facilitate the legislation's movement
>through the House and into law.  Check out our website,
>http://www.prometheusradio.org/lpfm, for more information on 
this
>important legislation, as well as handy web tools to find out 
contact
>information for your representative!  Following is a short 
history of
>the legislation, and a suggestion of what you can say when you 
are on
>the phone with your Member!
>
>The Prometheus Radio Project salutes you and all of the energy 
you
>expend in the name of local, independent media!
>
>* * * * *
>
>WHAT TO SAY if you're just leaving a message:
>
>        "My name is ___, and I'm a constituent of the 
Congresswo/man.
>Congresswoman Louise Slaughter will introduce a bill in the 
House soon
>that could bring Low Power FM -- real community radio -- to 
churches,
>schools, and community groups across the United States.  I'd 
like to ask
>the Congresswo/man to cosponsor this bill."
>
>WHAT TO SAY if you'd like to make an appointment with the 
Congressperson
>and/or their aide who works on telecommunications issues:
>
>        "My name is ___, and I'm a constituent of the 
Congresswo/man.
>This summer, Congresswoman Louise Slaughter will introduce a 
bill that
>could bring Low Power FM -- real community radio -- to 
churches,
>schools, and community groups across the United States.  I'd 
like to
>make an appointment to speak with the Congresswo/man or 
his/her aide who
>works on telecommunications sometime over the next few days, 
so he/she
>knows how much his/her constituents support his/her 
cosponsoring this
>bill."
>
>And make sure you call us at 215 727 9620, or email us at
>info at prometheusradio.org, and tell us how your call went!  If 
you set up
>an appointment we can help you
>
>* * * * *
>
>BACKGROUND:
>
>        In 2000, hundreds of cities and thousands of smaller 
communities
>were kept off the air when the National Association of 
Broadcasters and
>National Public Radio convinced Congress to limit the number 
of LPFM
>frequencies available.  They claimed our 100-watt stations 
would
>interfere with their 100,000 watt juggernauts!  But together, 
we fought
>the NAB and Congress to prove that there was plenty of room on 
the FM
>dial for our churches, schools, and community groups.  Two 
years ago, an
>independent study was conducted by the MITRE Corp., proving 
beyond a
>shadow of a doubt that there was no potential of an LPFM 
station
>interfering with a full power station in the slots forbidden 
them.  With
>$2.2 million in US taxes spent, and hundreds of community 
groups
>clamoring for their change to take to the airwaves, the FCC 
made its
>recommendation to Congress:  now is the time to expand LPFM.
>
>        Senators John McCain, Patrick Leahy, and Maria Cantwell
>cosponsored Senate Bill 312 this February -- a bill that would 
expand
>LPFM to reach thousands more communities.  And this summer,
>Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, and other members of the 
Future of
>American Media Caucus in the House of Representatives, will 
propose a
>companion bill that will do the same thing.  We'll need both 
the House
>and the Senate to vote to expand LPFM if we want to bring 
stations to
>hundreds more communities, so now is the time to start calling 
our
>legislators!
>
>        If you're rarin' to go, and you want your 
Congressperson to
>sponsor this new legislation, give us a call at 215.727.9620, 
and ask to
>speak to Hannah, or email us at info at prometheusradio.org.  
Together
>we can bring Low Power FM to communities all across the 
country!
>
>
>
---------End of Included Message----------