Free Radio New Orleans

So, the FCC engineer says he can’t find an available frequency to apply for the FCC non-commercial license in October.

What next? Are there other options to get a radio station that is truly a community station, serving the community, and run by the community, to help us rebuild New Orleans?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer depends upon how hard we’re willing to work to find a space on the radio dial for our own voices, our own news, our own concerns, our own agenda, shared in a spirit civility and thoughtfulness.

If you aren’t happy with radio stations that play repetitive music, that dish up the latest Britney faux pas as though it’s a public service, and that boast as news the histrionics of local and syndicated talk-show hosts shouting down their guests and listeners, then you need to be involved in changing what you can pick up on your radio.

Here are just a few of the options that may remain:

1) Lobbying the FCC through congressional representation to accomodate New Orleans with special consideration in a results-oriented approach which might require a bit more pro-active work from the FCC to make sure that the spectrum really does get used to “serve” the community. Could the FCC work harder to find a frequency, require stations to provide time for the community or move their transmitters, or even give up their licenses? Mary Landrieu, John McCain, Russ Feingold, and Harry Reid are a few Senators who recognize that communities aren’t being served well by the FCC.

2) LPFM? Perhaps the FCC could also furnish an expedited application process so we don’t have to wait for the NCE license competition to be resolved in a couple of years. A network of affiliated neighborhood LPFM stations might provide a space for us to share our ideas and concerns.

3) Pirate? It’s still an option if the FCC doesn’t cooperate. Low-power transmitters aren’t difficult to find.

4) Webcasting. We’d be missing an important audience of people in New Orleans who aren’t internet savvy, but it’s better than nothing. This might be considered as part of an endeavor to put some legs on an organization which eventually gets a proper radio station.

Next steps.

Thursday, 9/13, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
618 City Park Avenue (map), downstairs
(across the street from Delgado)