In Historic Victory for Community Radio, FCC Puts 1,000 Low-Power FM Frequencies Up For Grabs

In a major victory for the community radio movement after a 15year campaign, the Federal Communications Commission has announced it will soon begin accepting applications for hundreds of new lowpower FM radio stations in October. This means nonprofits, labor unions and community groups have a onetimeonly chance this year to own a bit of the broadcast airwaves. It is being heralded as "the largest expansion of community radio in United States history." We're joined by two guestsJeff Rousset, the National Organizer of the Prometheus Radio Project, which has led the campaign to challenge corporate control of the media and open up this space on the dial; and by Ramon Ramirez, the president of PCUN, the largest Latino organization in Oregon. In 2006, Prometheus Radio Project helped PCUN establish the lowpower FM station "Movement Radio," which has helped inform farm workers about labor rights, as well as the larger Latino community about immigration reform efforts, health issues, and other communityrelated topics. The FCC's short application window for new stations will run from October 15 to October 29. "This is a oneshot opportunity," Rousset says. "The work that we do over the next four months will really help shape the course of this country's media landscape for the next 40 years."

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