Vermont citizens taking back their airwaves through low power FM

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Communities use low power FM to take back the Vermont airwaves

By Daphne Larkin | Special to the Vermont Guardian

"Radio pirates are walking the plank into the ocean of federal licensing now that the Federal Communications Commission has sanctioned community radio and opened the airwaves to locals broadcasting. Transmitting at 100 watts with an average reach of about three and a half miles, low power FM (LPFM) is, by design, a perfect local media endeavor for small Vermont communities.

“It’s like the difference between eating at a chain restaurant and at a local bistro,” said Deb Forrett of non-profit Vermont Earthworks, which is in the process of starting an LPFM station in Brattleboro.

In Vermont, many of the applicants were church organizations, or the Agency of Transportation, (one was a high school), but of the applicants that were not, five construction permits were granted: Vermont Earthworks in Brattleboro, Peace and Justice Center in Burlington (Radiator, 105.9 FM WOMM-LP), Rootswork in the Mad River Valley (WMRW-LP 95.1 FM), Great Falls Community Broadcasting Company in Bellows Falls (WOOL 100.1 FM), and Spavin Cure Historical Group in Enosburg Falls (WEVT 98.1 FM).


Another community radio station in Bellows Falls, WOOL 100.1 FM, will be ready to broadcast by September. Bellows Falls’s resident Nancy Stefanik pursued an LPFM license after working at the teen center in Brattleboro and doing community radio with the kids there.“ thought that the young people in this community could really benefit from the chance to have their voices amplified,” Stefanik said.

One of the station’s operators, who would only give his name as Patrick for fear of retribution from the FCC, said FRB (94.3 FM) has been broadcasting for almost five years. The station’s impetus was the protests of the World Trade Organization meetings Quebec in 2001.
“FRB wanted to provide independent media coverage, because that wasn’t available down this way,” Patrick said. FRB plays the role of community radio by airing such shows as Democracy Now!, city council meetings, and programs for low-income people buying a house. As optimistic as these developments are for alternative media, community radio is a small fish working hard to survive in an ocean of corporate sharks.

In Vermont, however, Vermont Public Radio has been eager to help LPFM efforts get off the ground. In Burlington, Anderson said VPR has offered technical assistance. And, though their numbers are growing, community radio advocates say they know that the FCC is not about to side with them on issues of interference from their bigger, commercial competitors.

“The FCC’s responsibility is to make sure that the airwaves, which are owned collectively by all the citizens of the United States are made accessible to all of them rapidly, readily and fairly,” said Bloch. “History reveals that they have acted not on behalf of the people of the United States but on behalf of the few.”

http://www.vermontguardian.com/local/0105/LPFM.shtml

[KoKo]

1. I've read about "low power FM" and thought it would be a great way to go..

but probably has more success in the Blue states than Red. We Red States would just have more Christian Evangelical groups vying for the low power. I don't see much creativity here, but it's a great opportunity for any DU'ers who always wanted to be a Radio Personality to come down here to NC and hop in...

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2. Its inspiring to see what they're doing. Gotta be impressed with Vermont.

Other states could learn a lot.

Including those reddunz*

:)