Lee Terry in the News :: October 9, 2009

UCC's OC, Inc. Celebrates Low Power Radio Victory

Written by Staff Reports/Worldwide Faith News

Low-power radio bill passes key legislative hurdle

Written by Staff Reports
October 8, 2009


The United Church of Christ's media-justice advocacy arm is
celebrating a great victory in one of its most important and longest
standing legislative efforts in the area of media reform. Legislation
that will expand low-power radio to 140 million people who are
currently unable to receive it has been approved by the House
Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet.

"This denomination has been working to ensure community groups around
the country can have access to low-power radio stations for over 10
years," said Rev. J. Bennett Guess, the executive director of UCC's
media-justice arm, the Office of Communication, Inc. (OC, Inc.)

The Local Community Radio Act, H.R. 1147, was introduced by
Congressman Mike Doyle (D-Pa.) and Lee Terry (R-Neb.) most recently
during the current session of Congress. The bill would alter a law
passed in 2000 that unnecessarily limited low-power radio to rural
parts of the country.

"I am really delighted to see this bill make it through a key hurdle
on its way to becoming law," said Cheryl A. Leanza, Policy Director of
OC, Inc. "Our legislative champions, Congressmen Mike Doyle and Lee
Terry, have been indefatigable in their support for this important
media-justice issue. The support of Congressman Rick Boucher (D-Va.)
and his staff in giving this issue his time and attention in a
Congress with such a crowded schedule has been critical to assist the
thousands of community groups waiting for low-power radio stations."

"Expanding low-power radio is a concrete step toward a more just
society," said Andrea Cano, OC Inc. Board member and former director
of the UCC's Microradio Implementation Project. "These stations give
voice to the voiceless."

Low-power radio stations are small FM radio stations that serve a
geographic area with a radius of 5 to 7 miles. They are non-commercial
stations that can be obtained by community groups, churches, schools
and other non-profits. Currently there are about 800 radio stations on the air.

In May, a wide range of faith communications leaders, including the
UCC, wrote a letter to Congress supporting the low-power radio legislation.

After approval by the House Subcommittee, the bill will move to the
full House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Congressman Henry
Waxman (D-Calif.), a longtime supporter of low- power radio. A
companion bill, S. 592, sponsored by Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.)
and John McCain (R-Ariz.) is pending before the Senate Commerce
Committee. Prior versions of the Senate bill have passed through the
Senate Commerce Committee three times.