McCAIN INTRODUCES BILL TO REVERSE ‘ANTI-LPFM’ LAW
Sen. McCain (R-Ariz.) introduced low-power radio bill (S-404) aimed at reversing “anti-low-power FM [LPFM] radio language” attached to appropriations legislation last year. Bill would: (1) Enable FCC to license LPFM stations and reject licenses only for stations “whose transmissions are actually causing harmful interference to a full-power radio station.” (2) Require FCC by Feb. 23, 2002, to complete all necessary rulemakings implementing full-power stations’ transition to digital broadcasting. (3) Direct FCC to identify stations causing interference and how LPFM stations could resolve interference problems.
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“This legislation will provide an efficient and effective means to detect and resolve harmful interference,” he said Feb. 27 on Senate floor: “By providing a procedural remedy that authorizes the FCC to impose damages on frivolous complaints, the bill will discourage the creation of low-power stations most likely to cause harmful interference while at the same time discouraging full-power broadcasters from making unwarranted claims.”
Low-Power Radio Act of 2001 would repeal language in last year’s appropriations bill that killed LPFM initiative, thereby restoring Sec. 336 of Communications Act.