TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

SUPPORTING LOW POWER FM RADIO

WHEREAS, the Federal Communications Commission voted January 2000 to create a new class of non-commercial Low Power FM radio stations, and

WHEREAS, throughout the last two decades, local governments have turned to every means possible to facilitate communication with citizens, including Public, Education and Government (PEG) cable television channels and the Internet; and

WHEREAS, while these efforts have resulted in higher levels of citizen participation in local government, they have also been limited by the penetration levels of cable television and the Internet; and

WHEREAS, radio is the closest thing to a universal communications medium in this country, with over 95% of American adults listening to FM every week; and

WHEREAS, radio is also widely underutilized as a communications tool for government entities; and

WHEREAS, Low Power FM is particularly attractive because of the low cost of running a LPFM station and the ability for truly local discourse, and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors strongly supports the FCC's Low Power Radio initiative; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that The U.S. Conference of Mayors calls upon the Congress and the Administration to resist efforts to limit or overturn the FCC's plan through legislation or other means.