Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly · 2001 · 18 citations · 0 references
Low-power Fm RadioPublic OpinionClass DCommunicationSocial SciencesMedia StudiesCensorshipPolitical CommunicationLow-power RadioComparative AnalysisPublic SphereSoftware-defined RadioRadio EngineeringHeated Broadcasting IssueDigital Multimedia BroadcastingCommunication ResearchGovernment CommunicationHigh-powered PoliticsArtsPolitical Science
The most heated broadcasting issue of the year 2000 was the fight over low-power FM radio. The rise and fall of the proposed service reflected the state of the art in telecommunication policymaking, and provided a snapshot of power relations among broadcasters, the FCC, Congress, and citizen activists. For public radio managers with long institutional memories, however, the low-power FM debate seems a bit ironic. That's because a similar low-power service did exist, but was permitted to languish by broadcasters and regulators. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the former Class D FM and the contemporary debate.