Happy 10th Anniversary FCC Wars
We’re coming up on the 10th anniversary of the FCC reconsidering its position on Low Power Community Radio. Before the 80s, the FCC was cool with LFPM, then in the 80s and 90s it wasn’t cool with LPFM. But in 1999, after years of pressure the FCC relented and created an opportunity for more community radio. Not the big victory we were hoping for, but a few hundred more community radio stations are out in the world today because of a change of heart of then Chief Commissioner Kennard, now Obama Advisor Kennard. Though it isn’t 2009 yet, Pete Tridish told me recently that its time to start celebrating. It was just about this time 10 years ago now that a number of activists marched on the FCC. By his reckoning that’s the start of the Prometheus Radio Project. I headed down to DC to celebrate with Pete and the rest of the Prometheus crew. This time, instead of being outside of the FCC protesting, Pete and Hannah Sassaman accepted the United Church of Christ’s Office of Communications, Inc. Everett C. Parker Ethics in Telecommunications Award at a National Press Club luncheon. Hannah shook the house by asking everyone who would help pass the Local Community Radio Act to stand up. The wooly eyed DC crowd wasn’t quick to stand on their feet. But the award is proof that the walls of DC have become too permeable for us to tear down.
While I’m reminiscing it may be a good time to finally read Jesse Walkers’s Rebels On the Air: An Alternative History of Radio in America which chronicles my activism, Pete’s, and about 200 other activists who were pressuring for media reform by any means necessary. Where are we now?
Even then I was more of the bookish sort than the take to the streets type. Not much has changed for me: FCC’s Interference Argument Grounded. But what has changed for micropower?
Here are pix from the Award party at the New America Foundation.
September 24 2008 07:37 pm | on communication
Jesse Hirsh on 02 Oct 2008 at 9:10 am #
Hi Dharma
I appreciate the mental association, but as I’m sure you may be aware I am not the author of Rebels On the Air but rather another Jesse by the name of Walker is.
Nonetheless it is a good time to reflect on gains and think of the shared struggles ahead. I’m glad to see you’ve been doing great work these past 10 years. I hope to run into you at some point in the future.
-jesse