Low Power FM (LPFM)

Are We Living in "Groundhog Day?"

Casey — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 13:54:28 -0500

For those of you who watched the Grammy Awards on Sunday night (and apparently there were more of you this year than any year since 2004), you may have had a feeling of déjà vu when you saw virtually the same group of stars that clustered together in 2009, 2008, etc. Does this perhaps remind you — at least a little — of the 1993 film Groundhog Day? You know, like Bill Murray’s character hearing “I Got You Babe” every morning?

Now, if you happen to want to hear the same song at the same time every day, that’s fine with us. But sometimes it’s fun to let the needle find a new groove.

Today happens to be Groundhog Day, which is why we bring it up. And if the modern artist or fan feels like they’re “stuck in a loop” when it comes to music on commercial TV and radio, who can blame them? Perhaps the industry is a bit like the groundhog, who hopes that if it waits long enough, springtime will finally arrive. But what if it’s already here? read more

FMC at APAP 2010

Casey — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 15:54:36 -0500

Future of Music Coalition is once again curating a number of conversations at the annual Association of Performing Arts Presenters conference in New York City, January 8-12, 2010. Join us for sessions on the issues at the intersection of arts, technology and law; media, copyright and technology; and health insurance for creators.

To attend these sessions you need to be registered for the Arts Presenters conference. Click here for registration details. If you are an artist and would like to attend these sessions only and will not go to the APAP conference, email us at nicole[at]futureofmusic[dot]org

Head to FMC’s official APAP page to see the discussions and presentations we’ll be offering. read more

LPFM Clears the House of Representatives!

Casey — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 11:21:56 -0500

Well, we thought we’d have news about the Local Community Radio Act vote in the full House on Tuesday, but they didn’t get to it until yesterday (Wednesday). We don’t want to keep the suspense going any longer than necessary, so let’s cut to the chase…

It passed!

Last night at 7:05 PM, Low Power FM made history by clearing the final hurdle in the House of Representatives. This is the farthest pro-LPFM legislation has come in a decade. Suffice it to say, we’re thrilled. It feels good, in this day and age, to know that policymakers on both sides of the aisle recognize that expanding LPFM service to more American towns and cities is so important to local communities. An added bonus is the fact that the National Association of Broadcasters — the trade lobby that fought hard against LPFM at the start of the decade — has dropped its opposition to expanding community radio.

“The NAB and NPR have removed their objections and do not oppose this bill. The time has come to make the airwaves available to the people they serve. The time has come to give low power to the people,” said lead cosponsor Rep. Mike Doyle (D-PA).

Companion legislation has already cleared key Senate committees, and now it needs to be passed by the full body. After that, the the FCC is free to move forward with issuing more licenses for 100-watt stations to community groups nationwide. This would be huge for civic debate, public safety and arts and culture. You know, like loca and indie musicians — who, regardless of their talent and popularity, have little chance to be heard on their neighborhood commercial stations.

Last time we talked about LPFM we gave high-fives to all the artists who have come forward to support expanding true community radio. Well, let’s give one more round of applause for Nicole Atkins, Erin McKeown, Indigo Girls and all the other musicians who really made a difference in raising awareness about LPFM.

What a great Christmas present!

Low Power FM Set For Final House Vote

Casey — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:04:38 -0500

Tomorrow (Tuesday, Dec. 15) is another big day for Low Power FM. We’re happy to report that the Local Community Radio Act of 2009 is slated for a floor vote in the House of Representatives — the furthest any pro-LPFM legislation has gotten in years. The fact that we’re now on the eve of a vote that would bring true local radio to more American towns and cities is a testament to the tireless support of community radio advocates across the country. We’re especially proud of the efforts of musicians — established and developing artists alike — who have talked publicly and passionately about the importance of quality local radio to musicians and fans.

With that in mind, we’ll take this opportunity to give props to Nicole Atkins, Erin McKeown, Indigo Girls and all the other artists who have stepped up to demonstrate their support for quality local radio. read more

Future of Music Join Educause Webinar!

Casey — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 14:16:42 -0500

On Wednesday, Dec. 16, Future of Music Coalition will participate in a FREE Educause Live! webinar about — what else? — music, technology and policy.

FMC Education Director Kristin Thomson and Policy Director Michael Bracy will take part in a session called “Music 2.0: Revenue Streams, Consumer Behavior and Policy Issues.” Here’s the official description:

Thanks to the Internet, there are now a mind-boggling array of tools and services that help musicians and record labels promote, distribute, and sell their music. And as this legal marketplace for music matures, consumer behavior is shifting away from ownership of music (legal or illegally acquired) toward on-demand access to music. This presentation will start with a virtual tour of a small array of licensed music services and include a discussion of the policy positions that would optimize the growth of a legitimate digital marketplace for music, one that would ensure artist compensation while also promoting legal music discovery and consumption.

Sounds pretty cool, huh? And you can’t beat the price. Head to the Educause site to pre-register for the event.

LPFM Passes in Senate Committee!

Casey — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:09:06 -0500

Yesterday, we told you about an important vote in the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on the Local Community Radio Act of 2009. Well, we’re happy to report that the bill passed in a unanimous floor vote and will now be taken up by the full body.

The House version of the bill has already passed out of two key committees and will hopefully come to a full vote very soon. At that point, it’s a matter of harmonizing both versions of the legislation and getting it passed into law. read more

FMC Newsletter #83 | November 18, 2009

Kristin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:30:33 -0500

It’s been a busy month at Future of Music Coalition, with promising developments on a couple of key issues that impact musicians. We’re not gonna say that Christmas has come early, but we are pleased that policymakers are taking net neutrality and expanding community radio seriously. We’re also proud of how musicians have helped raised awareness about these issues. Read on for details about all this and more.

Low Power FM news
Musicians and health insurance Op-Ed in Chicago Tribune
FCC opens Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on net neutrality
Kristin Thomson at the FCC
Best of FutureBlog
FMC seeks Google Policy Intern
News from the Board
Gearing up for December Giving
How Are We Doing?

Power to the People: Legislation Backing More Low-Power FMs Clears Key Hurdle

Casey — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:52:05 -0500

In this age of satellite and Internet radio, it’s easy to underestimate the importance of small, noncommercial terrestrial radio stations to independent artists.

“There is a real disparity between people who can access the Web and satellite radio and those who can’t,” musician Erin McKeown says. “There are also a lot of people who listen to the radio in their cars out of habit, and it’s easier for them to flip to a new channel than convert to satellite.”

McKeown and others who say they owe their careers to small, noncommercial stations are celebrating a recent victory. On Oct. 15, the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Local Community Radio Act of 2009, which eases requirements on channel separation between low-power and full-power FM stations, paving the way for more LP FMs to appear on the radio dial. The legislation will now go before the House of Representatives for a full floor vote.

LPFMs—which typically have a range of three to seven miles with transmitters of up to 100 watts—have long been an important vehicle for ethnic, religious and local community programming. And LP FMs, especially those affiliated with colleges and universities, have provided vital exposure for niche music genres and independent artists.

Getting the bill out of the House committee represents a huge step forward, according to Michael Bracy, policy director at the Future of Music Coalition.

“We had success getting the legislation through the Senate before, but this is the first time we got it past the House committee,” Bracy says. “There was a lot of consensus and not a lot of debate, either, which bodes well. I feel pretty optimistic it will pass the House in the next month and get through the Senate and signed by the end of this session. If this all happens, the licensing window would be late 2010 or early 2011.”

Future of Music Newsletter #82 | October 22, 2009

Kristin — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:46:54 -0400

We did it! Another amazing Future of Music Policy Summit is behind us, but we’ll always have the memories. This year’s conference — our eighth — was probably our best yet; if you were with us at Georgetown University in DC from Oct. 4-6, you definitely know what we’re talking about. Maybe you were one of the thousands of people who watched the live webcast? Either way, we thank you so much for participating in the event. Read on for some of the highlights, as well as a few other things we’ve been working on in our “spare time.” 1. Future of Music Policy Summit 2009: awesomeness roundup! 2. FMC, PBS’ Independent Lens & Community Cinema present COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS 3. Music 2.0 and the “29 Streams” 4. Big wins for Low Power FM 5. Performance Rights Act passes in Senate Committee 6. FMC’s Michael Bracy on NPR’s “Sound Opinions” 7. Still fighting for net neutrality 8. FMC, musicians and speech 9. Travel and appearances 10. SanFran MusicTech is back! 11. How are we doing?

Future of Music Coalition Applauds House Committee Passage of Low Power FM Legislation

Casey — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:26:09 -0400

Washington, D.C.— On Thursday, October 15, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted to pass the Local Community Radio Act of 2009, clearing the way for more local radio programming in towns and cities across the country. By allowing for the creation of hundreds of Low Power FM (LPFM) stations, the Act can help reverse the lamentable loss of localism due in part to consolidation in the commercial radio marketplace. “Future of Music Coalition and has been working to expand and protect community radio since day one,” said Michael Bracy, Policy Director for Future of Music Coalition. “In an era of cookie-cutter playlists and next to no localism in radio, the overwhelming passage of Low-Power FM legislation in committee is incredibly significant. Musicians in particular can benefit from more LPFM stations in their communities, because it’s a great way for them to reach audiences and inspire other artists.” read more