Radio for People Coalition Comes to Iowa

By Dave Bradley and Trish Nelson

This group recently had a conference call today to discuss how to expand radio frequencies and . I look hearing from Trish and Dave as to how this went.

I am contacting you to ask your organization to help bring full-power community radio to your town and to join with other organizations and the Radio for People Coalition to help expand the power and reach of community-based radio.
 
Be the media.  It will soon be possible.  The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is preparing to open a five-day window for organizations like yours to apply for new, FULL POWER non-commercial educational (NCE) radio frequencies.

We have met with an engineer who believes stations could broadcast very close to Iowa City, Des Moines and the Quad Cities, as well as other parts of eastern Iowa. Our next step is to commission a study to determine just where the stations will be. He has agreed to do a massive swath of Iowa at a discounted rate. Normally just one of these studies can run as high as $500. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
 
Full power station licensing has been frozen since 2000.  So, this is a brief and rare opportunity for your organization to acquire a powerful media resource, one that is not likely to come again in the foreseeable future.
 
The channels allocated in this window are designated as non-commercial educational stations.  You cannot apply as an individual.  The applicant must be an organization with an educational mission; however, you do not need 501(c)3 (tax exempt) status to qualify.
 
Radio for People is a national coalition of grassroots independent media groups, lawyers, radio engineers, radio stations, free media advocates, professional associations, social justice activists, and many other concerned individuals. We have joined together for the single purpose of helping you. If you want to build a radio station to give voice to issues, promote public discourse, and enrich community life, we will help you, every step of the way.
 
For more information about application requirements, costs, and the help Radio for People is offering, contact www.radioforpeople.org. 
 
To get involved in our efforts in Iowa, you can email Trish or Dave at the contact info below. To learn more about the Midwestern campaign, you can email Gabriel Piemonte at gabrielpiemonte@hotmail.com Or, if you know of another organization who might be ready to start its own community radio station, please forward this email. 
 
Independent media is built on community participation and grassroots organizing.  Soon, you could bring this resource to your town.  Help strengthen community media.  Help spread the word.  And Radio for People will help you to be the media.
 
Trish Nelson
 
Dave Bradley