From class D to LPFM: The high-powered politics of low-power radio

Abstract

The most heated broadcasting issue of the year 2000 was the fight over low-power FM radio. The rise and fall of the proposed service reflected the state of the art in telecommunication policymaking, and provided a snapshot of power relations among broadcasters, the FCC, Congress, and citizen activists. For public radio managers with long institutional memories, however, the low-power FM debate seems a bit ironic. That's because a similar low-power service did exist, but was permitted to languish by broadcasters and regulators. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the former Class D FM and the contemporary debate.