NPR: Try Easing on LPFM, But Protect Reading Services
This is the text of a press release from National Public Radio
dated Oct. 15, 2003. It addresses the recent Mitre Corp. report
to the FCC on the topic of low-power FM service.
Washington, DC - NPR has filed comments with the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) on the field study of Low Power
FM (LPFM) interference to third adjacent channel full power and
translator stations conducted by the Mitre Corporation and Comsearch.
NPR supports a trial implementation of LPFM stations on third adjacent
channels subject to application processing and interference remediation
safeguards we describe in our filing.
Throughout this proceeding, NPR has supported the principles of
localism and diversity of ownership reflected in the LPFM service,
and we have consistently affirmed our belief that LPFM can coexist
in a complementary, compatible way with America's public radio stations
and radio reading services. Given the potential for adjacent channel
interference, NPR has called for appropriate testing and safeguards
to assure the protection of existing public radio services, including
vital radio reading services for the blind. The field tests conducted
by Mitre and Comsearch, though flawed in a number of respects, provide
a basis to proceed in a measured way to authorize third adjacent
LPFM stations.
In the case of radio reading services, however, flaws in the how
the study was conducted are fatal to its conclusion that 100 watt
LPFM stations can be authorized on third adjacent channels to stations
that carry radio reading services without materially impairing the
reading service. Accordingly, we encourage the Commission and the
Congress to grant the same protections in the future for radio stations
providing radio reading services that are provided today.
We believe that the best way for policy makers to implement LPFM
is to begin with a measured trial period of interim LPFM service
introduction. We believe such a trial period would be important
in documenting the successful strategies of interference remediation
and avoidance where it counts - in the real world; and, will greatly
benefit all listeners who value public and community radio.
As broadcasters providing local programming and services to more
than 30 million Americans, NPR's member stations believe the public
interest would be served by more NCE services, including highly
localized ones, so long as the new services fit into the current
fabric of radio signals. It is especially important to protect the
radio reading services that reach more than a million regular listeners,
and radio translators now bringing public radio to millions of Americans
in rural areas. We are hopeful that the safeguards NPR suggested
can bridge the gap between the Mitre Study and full-scale authorization
of third adjacent channel 100 watt LPFM stations.
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