From the Tucson Citizen by Pam Bickell
on Feb. 13, 2012
On Saturday, I attended a meeting sponsored by the Prometheus Radio Project, a group that helps non-profit organizations start their own community radio stations. Had you heard of Low Power FM Radio Service? I hadn’t. I didn’t even know local groups could operate their own radio stations.
I learned at the meeting that the airwaves, managed by the FCC, were originally given to broadcasters to responsibly serve the people. As with many aspects of life in America in 2012, radio stations generally focus on corporate profits, not the common good. (To me, the important questions are, ‘How much profit is enough? Shouldn’t a line be drawn when greed tramples serving the people?’) The Telecommunications Act of 1996 allowed for massive mergers and now TV and radio policies and programs are controlled by a few large corporations. What if you could be an independent voice? How would you use your airtime to make a difference for the people you serve?
