FCC Commissioner Copps

We just had a great chat with FCC Commissioner Copps. The discussion has concluded, but we were delighted when Commissioner Copps responded to our question--not once, but twice.

P.S. LPFM means low-power FM radio, and the question we posed to Mr. Copps refers to this type of non-profit, non-commercial FM radio station--as well as other issues.

Here's our Q&A--also take a moment to visit freepress.net, the host for the discussion--just to see some of the other questions, and the extent to which other Americans are concerned about media consolidation in their own communities:

Media Monopolies and Community Radio

Submitted on October 29, 2007 - 6:56pm.

Mr. Copps: Thanks so much for your media reform efforts, we are deeply appreciative. Your efforts inspire us to continue our own local efforts to establish media accessibility and diversity.

We are in the mountains of North Carolina, in a town called Boone (pop. 14,000--28,000 when Appalachian State University is in session).

Even here, the negative impact of media consolidation is a stark reality: All 6 radio radio stations are owned by the same company, and almost all of the newspapers (5 out of 6) are owned by a single, out of state corporation.

Simply put, we need help. This kind of consolidation is clearly hurting our local community--for example, we never hear independent music on local radio (and there is so much in this community!!), nor do we hear the voices of local artists, environmentalists, authors--in short, any group that is not identified as being profitable enough for big media.

Will the FCC take any action to break up these local monopolies? If not, can we expect more movement on the LPFM front? What is big media doing to try to block the community radio/LPFM effort? How will the FCC respond to big media's effort to squelch local voices again?

Thank you so much for your efforts--keep up the faith, and we will too.

Democracy Now of the NC High Country: www.dnhc.blogspot.com

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As a one-time Tar Heel

Submitted by Commissioner Copps on October 29, 2007 - 8:10pm.

As a one-time Tar Heel (although once Heel, always a Heel) I hear your plea for community radio. That's why I noted earlier the need for a real commitment to LPFM here at the FCC. We could take a few fairly easy steps and I think add 400 or 500 stations real quickly.

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The FCC has done just about

Submitted by Commissioner Copps on October 29, 2007 - 7:05pm.

The FCC has done just about nothing to encourage LPFM after the first application window was opewned in 2000. LPFM is more important than ever in an age when so few companies are controlling so much media. We need to find ways--and there are several--to help LPFM. First we must make a genuine commitment that we want to help. I do.