Low-power FM stations give rural communities their own voices; bill would open up frequencies

Low-power FM radio stations serve many vital functions for small rural communities. Local organizations get out the word about their services, let people know about opportunities in the area, build support and participation for community projects, and warn residents about potential emergencies. "Already there are about 800 low-power FMs on the air, mostly in small towns and rural areas," Kate Blofson writes for the Daily Yonder. "Many are community stations, adding a welcome breath of participatory local radio to the airwaves."

In Emmettsburg, Iowa, local folks started their own station after one moved to a larger town. "KEMB-LP covers high school sports, festivities like the county fair and recent St. Patrick's Day celebration, local meetings, and summertime municipal band concerts," Blofson reports. "The station plans to expand its coverage, to air city council and county supervisor's meetings." (KEMB photo shows Brent McAllister and Rick Jones)

The Local Community Radio Act, (HR 1147) introduced by U.S. Reps. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., and Lee Terry, R-Neb., would lift restrictions on low-power FM, opening up more frequencies for it. Cheryl Marshall of WMMT in Whitesburg, Ky., a full-power, non-profit station, says that in her southeastern Kentucky region, there is no effective emergency communications system, so "local radio often steps in," writes Blofson. "She affirms the important role local radio plays in communicating with citizens about all kinds of public issues -- of safety, health, and the environment." And because the stations have low power, equipment and operating costs are relatively low. (Read more)