Re: LPFM - Tech Question

["Douglas J. Broda" <djbroda@mindspring.com>]

At 02:25 PM 1/21/00 -0500, R.L. Caron wrote:
>
>The ostensible purpose of the new Low Power service is to provide a 'voice'
>to underrepresented groups and minotities. It's axiomatic that these groups
>are largely concentrated in urban areas, where only a small handful of the
>thousand or so new stations will fit.

Hmmmm. LPFM would fit, as far as I can see, in many small towns in North
Dakota, Iowa and Maine (and at least some parts of about 40 other states),
places that in many cases have no radio stations that provide localized
content. I think that would fit in the "underrepresented groups" category
-- assuming you can be underrepresented by having no or limited local media
as opposed to by being a minority group, as I believe you can be. Aren't
these folks the ones who have among the greatest need for a local medium on
radio... rural communities with 2000-5000 people within the LPFM's reach,
in many cases?

Obviously, most LPFMs will be outside the Top 50-75 markets, by dint of the
third adjacent rule. (Albany-Schenectady-Troy's a high-50s market, and I
don't see room for more than one third-adjacent anywhwere in the urban or
suburban region from a quick dial scan, and that one's a maybe.) But that
hardly means that serving small rural communities is less than valuable....
regardless of whether it matches inaccurate claims made by certain
politicians.


------------------------------------------------------------------
Douglas J. Broda
Broda and Burnett
Attorneys at Law
80 Ferry Street, Troy, NY 12180 USA
(518) 272-0580
djbroda@mindspring.com