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Goodman: More Local Radio Could Be Coming To Las Cruces

We have a great opportunity that both political parties, the P.V.A. (Progressive Voter Alliance), the Tea Party, Aggie Solidarity, churches, and soccer moms should all relish.  It's called community radio, and might not exist if not for Pete Tridish (known widely as Petri Dish), who passed through Cruces recently.

    I like him, 'cause he thinks outside the box.

   The FCC used to insist on a wider space on the dial between huge stations, so their signals wouldn't interfere with each other.

   Petri pointed out that there was plenty of space for much smaller stations – say, 100 watts – in between the 50,000-watt behemoths.  The little guys could use their localized signal to do interesting local things, without harming the big guys' signals

   He convinced the FCC, and in 1998 the FCC enacted a rule to open things up.  (This was after he'd spent a few years moving equipment from place to place and ducking FCC raids while running a “pirate” station.)

   The National Association of Broadcasters (“NAB”) was horrified by the rule-making.  The little guys might compete for local advertising dollars.  NAB lobbyists chatted up senators and congress people.  Thus in 2000 Congress enacted a law undoing the new FCC rule. 

   NAB claimed the small signals would interfere with the bigs.  Congress insisted on a five-year engineering study.  After two years the folks charged with doing the study had gotten a look at the facts, and announced that the NAB claim was so fatuous there was nothing to study.  A 100-watt station could cause problems only in the immediate vicinity of its transmitter.

   It took another few years to undo the 2000 law, but eventually the FCC started issuing licenses for small stations.  (New Orleans, allowed no small stations under the 2000 law, could now have five.)

   Throughout history, radio authorities have favored big broadcasters, with their deep pockets.  Says Petri, “Drawing the largest audience made for the largest profits, so the assumption was, build the  biggest station you can.  And there's nothing wrong with that.”

   The behemoths can do some things very well: national elections, wars, huge catastrophes, etc. 

   But they can't tell you much about your city council or the quality of local education.  There's no incentive.  “Stories about the Iraq War or the President pay a lot better than stories about the local city council.”

   Petri is quick to articulate the irony: exactly the stuff we citizens can have the greatest impact on, such as local governments and improving local education, are exactly what we're most ignorant about, since national media ignore local issues; but we're flooded with information on issues we can do little about. 

   And what of accuracy?  Big stations belong to big corporations.  If GE, a huge defense contractor, owns a network, how confident are you that the network's news is accurate regarding a possible new war --- which, if it starts, will make GE a fortune?

   Community Radio has time for local discussion, local performances, and slices of local life.

   So what's this mean for us?

   Within the year, Las Cruces could have a new radio station most of the City and some folks North and East of it should receive.  It's licensed, and soon will have call letters.  Supporters have started fund-raising.   A small group has been meeting periodically to help with the early tasks.

   The station hopes to be a resource for everyone, regardless of political views.

   Look for notice of a meeting in January to invite input and ideas from any and all.  Or consider donating a little money toward space and equipment and the all-important coffee-maker.

   If you want to get on the group's mailing list, email lascrucescommunityradio@gmail.com at your convenience.

Peter Goodman is a local writer, photographer, and sometime lawyer.   He initially moved to Las Cruces in 1969, holds two degrees from NMSU, and moved back here in 2011 with his wonderful wife.  This is his most recent Sunday column in the Las Cruces Sun-News.  His blog Views from Soledad Canyon contains further information on this subject, as well as other comments and photographs, and past newspaper columns.