FCC Move Could Shut Down High School Radio Station

Saeed al-Sahaf writes "This probably has been happening all along, maybe just not in my area. A broadcasting company bought an FM radio station in The Dalles, Oregon (a little hick town east of Portland), and wants to move it to a much choicer market in Seattle, Washington. The FCC has given the green light for the move. Problem is, the frequency in Seattle is being used by a station owned by a local high school, Mercer Island High School. The school has appealed, saying the decision ignores the FCC's own rules, and questioned the FCC's assertion that there's space available elsewhere on the Seattle-area radio dial. The school says the proposal is 'little more than an effort to migrate from a rural community to an extremely well-served urban area.' Critics of the proposal contend that the move is an attempt to tap the much larger Seattle radio advertising market."

Comments

Space on the dial?

[EvanED]

"...and questioned the FCC's assertion that there's space available elsewhere on the Seattle-area radio dial"

If there's space elsewhere on the radio dial, why doesn't the other station take it?

The school missed its chance to protect the slot!

[LostCluster]

Class D stations are hanging on by a grandfather clause at this point. The FCC is handing out no more new Class D allocations, and all Class D stations have been demoted in status such that if any higher-class stations (which include all commercial stations, since Class D's are by definition non-commercial) gets an allocation that interferes with them, the Class D must cease operations.

In short, Class D is in a phase-out period... stations in the Class D status need to get themselves moved into the dedicated educational slice of the FM band from 88.1 to 91.9, or convert their license to being LPFM station (possibly with lower power than they had before) in order to regain primary status so that nobody else can stomp on their turf.

This poor high school hasn't acted, and now the bulldozer of several stations re-aligining themselves on "their frequency" is coming in to knock them down. Sure, changing frequencies or converting to LPFM isn't a free thing to do, but it was part of their obligations as a broadcaster to keep up with the changes in the FM band. They did nothing, and if they can't afford to get themselves onto a safe channel then that's there problem. They clearly had a chance to do so when LPFM came out, and they passed...

Re:high school channel?

[gui_tarzan2000]

It doesn't matter how interesting the high school radio station is. What matters is that the students are learning the trade. My high school (I graduated in 1981) has had a broadcasting station for about 30 years. It has helped many students interested in radio and tv production and the local community which also houses Central Michigan University. Not exactly a small market although nothing like NY or LA.

Re:My Rights Online

[jb.hl.com]

It would be bad if my rights were somehow jeopardized by some high-school vs. commercial radio station dispute in distant Washington state. Bad indeed.

Don't you get it?

The point is that the FCC is letting large corporations control the airwaves to the detriment of the public (i.e schools). They are prioritising the big and wealthy over the little guy. It doesn't affect your rights online, but holy fuck does it affect your rights.

Put it this way: say that a large corporation wanted your domain name, which coincides with the name for one of their new products. Also say that your web host willingly handed the domain over to them, without giving you a say in the matter. You'd be crying "OMGWTF THE HOSTS TOOK AWAY MY NAME AND GAVE IT TO PROCTER AND GAMBLE!!!111". I think you'd have a right to be pissed then. Same thing here.

Bad yes, Clear Channel no

[lothar97]

The station that is moving is owned by Mid-Columbia Broadcasting Inc. It looks like that Mid-Columbia only has 1 station, and 10 employees- so it's a pretty small fish compared to Clear Channel.

Here is San Diego, we're lucky that Clear Channel can own stations in San Diego, and in Tijuana, Mexico (right across the border). We thus get double the Clear Channel, and yes, our radio sucks more than most cities.

Re:Not an unusual request...

[Detritus]

If the station received its license on the basis of its promise to serve Fooville, why should it be allowed to move to a nearby major market? If it can't comply with the terms of its license, it can return it to the FCC. Maybe another broadcaster, who didn't pay an inflated price for an existing station, can build and operate a profitable station in Fooville.

I've seen this sort of thing happen several times in my local area. A big conglomerate buys a small station outside a major market for big bucks, and immediately applies to move the station to a more profitable location inside the major market. They never had any intentions of continuing to serve the community that the license was originally issued for. They just see an opportunity to gain an outlet in the major market.

The FCC and Mercer Island (the Rock)

[Anonymous Coward]

First they want to move the station in question a full state, from Oregon north several hundred miles to Seattle. I could possibly see moving it to Portland, but this is a real streach.

Next, if the high schoolers really want to fight, all they have to do is to talk to their parents. Mercer Island, is located in the middle of Lake Washington and the residents are VERY well off. Paul Allen lives on the island as do a lot of the Microsoft millionairs. Bill Gates lives just north of the island. Quite a few Boeing executives in addition to at least one Senator for Washington (if I remember correctly). If they want, they (the school) have the connections to steam roll the station and make an example of them. Given that its the end of the shcool year with exams, now is the perfect time for this move on the station's part in the student body is out for the summer.

Housing prices start around a million for a modest home....