Prometheus Radio Project Backgrounder

Starting a radio station has for many years has been completely out of reach for the general public. Activists for a more democratic media have won a rare opportunity for your neighborhood to apply for an extremely valuable radio station, for free.

But we did not win a fundamental change in the system that made it more fair and open- just a brief moment when community groups can claim a thin sliver of the airwaves for local use. This chance will be gone in a few months, and radio will be back to business as usual until the next democratic victory on the airwaves, and who knows when that will come. If you ever want a radio station for your community the time to act is now.

What could your organization or community do with an LPFM station?

A community radio station can offer something for almost everyone, with diverse programs that reflect the needs and interests of the local residents. Here are some ideas of possible programming, though each community will surely develop their own creative shows.

• Local public affairs programs, such as news, youth training, local sporting events, neighborhood history, city council hearings, election debates, call-in shows with local figures, politicians, and advice programs with doctors, lawyers, or other professionals.

• Activist programs that explore different issues, such as the environment, education or health care.

• Cultural programs, such as a variety of the worlds many musical traditions, radio theatre, dramatic readings of novels, poetry, interviews, etc.

As a sponsor for a broad-based community radio station, your community organization can promote the public good by acting as steward of a station designed for the whole community- almost like a library of the airwaves. Alternately, your group may want to focus more closely on a single constituency, like an immigrant language community, or as an organizing medium for a labor union in a rural farm-working community.

Applying for an LPFM license is free, and the cost to build a station is relatively low cost (the basic equipment for a hundred watt radio station will cost between five and eight thousand dollars, depending upon your circumstances). You have 18 months to construct your station from the day you receive your construction permit. While there is no guarantee that every application will be successful, the following questions are designed to help you assess your qualifications.

Are you affiliated with a community association, civic organization or other group? Or would you want to start one?

Individuals can not apply - only non-profit groups or community organizations. You do not, however, have to be a tax exempt 501(c)(3). Organizations that have been in existence for two or more years get preference, so it is advantageous (but not necessary) that your organization be at least that old.

Do you already own a TV station, a radio station, a daily newspaper or a cable network?

No one who already owns a major media outlet can have a LPFM station

Would you like an alternative to conventional commercial-filled programming?

The service is entirely non-commercial, though underwriting, similar to what you hear on National Public Radio, is allowed.

Are you interested in creating local programming?

The FCC gives a preference to organizations who pledge that they will be producing at least 8 hours per day of local programming, and also gives preference to stations that plan to operate at least 12 hours per day. If you have DJ's playing their favorite records, that is considered local as long as they are local people, not a satellite fed national program.

Are you willing to share the frequency with other groups?

In situations where more than one group apply for the same frequency, the FCC gives preference to organizations who are willing to work out timesharing arrangements with other groups that want to use the airwaves.

Is anyone on your board of directors a convicted felon?

The FCC may choose not to allow convicted felons to be holders of broadcast licenses. There are many exceptions to this policy, but it is easier if there are no felons.

Do you have a suitable location for a transmitter?

Transmitters are about the size of a toaster oven, and antennas don't have to be any bigger than the television antennas people put on the roof of their houses, but the higher they are, the better. The FCC does not allow you to build a station if you are too close to an already existing channel, and the proposed open frequency is too close to that station on the dial. For example, you can't put a 91.3 on the air if there is a 91.5 right across town. With a few simple internet searches, you can figure out if the FCC will allow a station to be built at any location of your choosing.

Prometheus Radio Project can help you to assess, free of charge, whether any location of your choosing is suitable for broadcasting. The Studio and the Transmitter do not need to be in the same place- the transmitter can be tucked away in someones house or on top of a hill, while the studio is downtown at a community center.

Can your organization raise between five and seven thousand dollars to build a station within the next two years?

There is no application or licensing fee. the basic equipment will cost between five and seven thousand dollars, and more if you want to get fancy. You have 18 months to construct your station from the day you receive your construction permit. Some grants may be available.

When should I apply?

The United States has been divided into 5 groups of ten states each. Every three months, a five day window application opens for ten states, then closes. No one can apply before or after that window. To find out your window call Prometheus. After the LP 100s are all given out, the FCC will start over again and allow groups to apply for LP10s. there will not be many of those LP10s, and they have a smaller radius of coverage.

If you have already missed the first application window for your state, there still may be opportunities. Contact Prometheus for a full explanation of your possibilities- we keep completely up-to date information on the somewhat bewildering filing process.

Will the FCC discriminate against my group? Or will they control the content of the programming?

All requirements are laid out above. The FCC designed this license for groups of all stripes, from Anarchists to Anabaptists. You need to meet the requirements of other stations, which are in fact pretty minimal- no inappropriate obscenity at certain times, no advertising, fraudulent contests or gambling over the air, etc. It is not legal to cause a public panic with a false report that Martians are attacking. Besides that you are free to have programming of any type you like.

  From Prometheus Radio Project