[imc-st.louis] Save Community FM from Big Church by Midnight Sept 6th

[ben]

Begin forwarded message:


PEACE AND JUSTICE MEDIA ALERT!
PLEASE PASS ON TO SOMEONE YOU KNOW.

YOU CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE - NOW!

Greetings from Pacifica Radio!
As a supporter of free media, you know that community radio is a must.

You can do something right now that will have real impact in helping towns
and cities across the USA get community radio - media that belongs to the
people and gives the real story when mainstream media won't.

You can act now by simply speaking up. The Federal Communications
Commission is asking you how you feel about the difference between
locally-based community radio and large conservative media groups with
deep pockets that are trying to grab the entire radio dial. They are
asking you to comment - as an American citizen.

Below is a brief summary of the situation. Please act now; comments are
due by September 6. Filing is easy and will just take a moment! If you
want to go right ahead to filing a comment before reading on, go to:

http://www.freepress.net/fcc/comment.php?dn=fullpowerradio

HERE'S WHAT'S HAPPENING:
This October, community groups will have a final chance to bring
full-power local radio to their areas. The FCC will allow Americans to
apply for licenses to build stations in the FM band's non-commercial
section - Noncommercial Educational (NCE) licenses between 88 and 92 FM.
This is an historic application window. This October is likely the very
last chance for local community groups to obtain a full-power community
radio license, because in most communities, only one radio frequency
remains available.

During October's media gold rush, we community folks could get shut out.
During non-commercial licensing periods in the recent past, single large
players (many of them are conservative religious radio networks) have
engaged in speculative behavior or attempted to build nationwide networks
by applying for frequencies in hundreds of communities.

In response to this problem, and to create fairer conditions of
competition this time, the FCC has proposed setting a maximum number of 10
licenses per applying group. This would help a local community group that
is applying for a radio license have a better chance against a
high-powered national broadcast outfit.

But the large conservative media groups object., The FCC needs to have
evidence of support for the limit. So they are giving you an opportunity
to let them know that as an American citizen, you believe that local
media, "the small guys" need a fair chance. Tell them you support the
application limit.

Thanks for doing your part to tell the FCC to promote local and diverse
radio.

You can file a comment now at:

http://www.freepress.net/fcc/comment.php?dn=fullpowerradio

Your friends at Pacifica Radio
Community Radio with Conscience for more than 50 years.


-- 
Ben West
westbywest at riseup.net
http://savetheinternet.org