United Church of Christ and Faith Community Ask to Keep Local Radio Local

Seventy clergy joined with almost 250 people of faith to ask the Federal Communications Commission to ensure that the new low power radio stations granted licenses in the near future will transmit a minimum of locally-originated programming.

The request came as the Federal Communications Commission completes its final rules to implement the Local Community Radio Act of 2010. The United Church of Christ and many members of the faith community were a strong constituency supporting passage of the Local Community Radio Act. That legislation will bring new low power community radio stations to thousands of communities in the next few years. The letter stated, "We are dismayed that some low power radio stations could get a precious license and not carry any locally-originated programming." The Federal Communications Commission is expected to finish its rules this year, and to accept applications for low power radio stations in the summer of 2013.