Primary Investigators:

Todd Urick, Common Frequency; Andy Jones, University of California - Davis

Partnering Organization:

Common Frequency

In 2006 the Federal Communications Commission indicated that it intended to open a “filing window” for non-profits to submit proposals for new non-commercial educational (NCE) full power radio station licenses (88.1 – 91.9 FM, 100 – 100,000 watts, e.g. the type of frequencies that NPR uses).  This announcement brought to a head a long-simmering dispute regarding FCC handling of non-commercial radio licenses.

In the 1990’s the Commission was swamped with applications for new stations, primarily from national religious broadcasters who were rapidly expanding their radio networks. Weaknesses in the application procedure quickly became apparent, with basic disagreement centered on what to do with mutually exclusive (or “MX”) applications—cases where two or more parties had applied for conflicting frequencies in specific areas.

Prior to 2000, it was very difficult for any non-religious non-profit organization to procure a radio station. In practice, most groups submitting proposals to the FCC found themselves challenged by religious broadcast groups competing for the same frequencies and locations—almost always with deeper pockets for the court hearings used to adjudicate disputes. As frequencies started to become scarce, and with comparative hearings under increased scrutiny, the Commission had to come up with new criteria to determine who would receive a station license when there is more than one applicant.  

In 2000, these disputes led the FCC put a freeze on new applications. It took several years to finalize a new set of criteria—now referred to as the point system—which relies on a mix of contour engineering, organization locality, and media ownership regulations.  

The FCC finally decided that October 12-19, 2007 would be the filing window to apply for an open frequency. To add complexity to the matter, the FCC didn’t supply information about what frequencies were open, and where. This was not an obstacle for national religious broadcasters, who were expected to apply for almost every remaining frequency on the educational band.  

The Radio for People project was an effort to create and disseminate the resources necessary to give non-profit groups a reasonable chance of securing a radio license. The project involved data collection and coordination at two levels: (1) working to map available frequencies and their locations; and (2) working to identify and educate non-profit groups with the interest and capacity to apply. 

Volunteers raising tower at KDRT (photos: Davis Media Access)

Ten groups collaborated on collecting and organizing data.  Critical to this enterprise was the UC Davis Radio Engineering Research Group—a student group interested in both the production and social role of radio. The group worked with Todd Urick and Jeff Shaw at Common Frequency and were monitored by Dr. Andy Jones at UC Davis.

Research and outreach in this context took several forms:

Common Frequency composed an 80-page manual for non-profits on how to apply for a non-commercial radio license, and also traveled to the Northwest Community Radio convention (Seattle), Common Cause Media Reform convention (Pasadena), and the Grassroots Radio convention (Portland) to give presentations on the upcoming licensing window.

Google Map tools for the frequency data were produced, and Common Frequency provided engineering and legal support for several partnering groups. UUA (Unitarian Universalist Churches -- progressive church groups), US cable community access groups, Acorn branches, and Native Public Media were among these partners. Prometheus and Pacifica Radio also shared in the data and participated in outreach.

The data allowed RFP to successfully help applicants to apply for frequencies in open frequency areas. These application are still pending at the FCC. The full outcome of who will be licensed will not be known for a few years. Common Freqeuncy estimates that RFP aided 200 community radio applicants across the US.

(http://www.flickr.com/photos/davismediaaccess)

Common Frequency will be applying the research techniques utilized from this project to next LPFM application window. This exercise demonstrated that outreach is best accommodated by decentralized networking. Instead of key activist groups leading outreach for nationwide organizing, local groups (per state) should be able to do a better job at reaching out to community groups to inform them about radio opportunities.

"We also learned that the coordination that took place for the NCE organizing needed to start more in advance in order to adequately inform groups across the country of broadcast opportunities. Additionally, large national reform groups like Move-On need to be schooled in media democracy. Progressive groups do not yet fathom the value of grassroots media in the total picture of reform. Media plays a critical role in how citizens make their political decisions. Grassroots media should have a key role in assisting political reform by allowing for the free flow of truthful information." -- Todd Urick