The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is the primary regulatory authority for radio broadcasting in the United States. The CDC has engaged extensively with FCC proceedings related to low-power radio, microbroadcasting, and the public interest standard in broadcast licensing.
In January 2000, following years of community radio advocacy, the FCC established the Low Power FM (LPFM) service. LPFM stations operate at maximum power levels of 100 watts with a coverage radius of approximately 3.5 miles, and are reserved for non-commercial educational broadcasters and nonprofit entities.
The creation of LPFM represented a significant expansion of community access to the public airwaves. However, the service was initially limited by third-adjacent-channel interference protection rules that effectively blocked LPFM operations in many urban areas.
In 2010, Congress enacted the Local Community Radio Act, eliminating the second- and third-adjacent-channel restrictions that had limited LPFM. The legislation opened thousands of new LPFM opportunities, particularly in metropolitan areas where spectrum had previously appeared unavailable.
FCC Docket 99-25 was the foundational rule-making proceeding for the LPFM service. The CDC filed extensive comments arguing for a robust LPFM service with minimal interference restrictions. See also our page on FCC Docket 99-25 documentation.
The CDC has consistently called on the FCC to apply its enforcement resources equitably — addressing violations by commercial licensees with the same vigor applied to small-scale community broadcasters. Our legal work has included challenges to enforcement actions we argued were selectively applied to silence community voices.
For more information, visit our Microradio Empowerment Coalition page or review our resources for community broadcasters.