Community Radio Act Passes Congress

Press Release

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree announced today that legislation she supported to lift restrictions on community radio stations has passed Congress and will go to the President for his signature. Pingree voted to support the Community Radio Act last week, which passed the House on Friday and the Senate on Saturday.

"Community radio stations offer a diverse, vibrant, locally-minded alternative to the radio dial," said Pingree. "I'm very happy that we are lifting the unneeded restrictions that have kept more of these stations from broadcasting in our communities. Maine's local stations offer our towns an important voice and I hope we can hear from more of them in the future."

The legislation lifts regulations that required three frequencies of separation between a low-power FM station and a full-power FM station--the requirement severely cut the number of frequencies allowed for low-power FM stations, restricting them mostly to rural areas. The legislation will allow the FCC to license thousands of new stations across the country.

Studies have found that because of their low wattage, these stations do not need three frequencies of separation--what is required of full-power stations--to operate without interfering with full-service stations.

"WRFR helps our community keep up with local events and issues, appreciate local musicians and artists, and come together to celebrate our unique place in America," said Joe Steinberger, founder of WRFR-LP, a low-power station in Rockland. "We thank Chellie for her steady support of local radio for many years. We are happy to know that others may soon have the chance to create small community radio stations and that more communities will have the chance again to have real local radio "

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