On Tuesday the 27th, low power FM community radio got a big push from the Federal Communications Commission. After years of prominent advocacy from community radio stations under threat of being knocked off the air -- and station hopefuls who were angry that the FCC gave away thousands of potential low power FM radio slots to distant repeater-stations bringing no local content to their communities -- the Commission ruled to make space on the dial for new LPFM stations, and to work with stations to protect them from going dark when big commercial radio encroaches on their signals. Great news!

At Prometheus we're thrilled that this endorsement validates the concerns that hundreds of stations have brought to the Commission during public hearings from Nashville to Seattle. It isn't enough -- we need the FCC to consider low power FM stations -- groups providing local service, often the only ones in town -- primary to translators that put distant content on the air, for example. But this push could mean that Congress now sees that the expansion of low power FM radio is something that diverse groups (everyone from the National Association of Evangelicals to the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights) and the entire FCC (including the Chairman Kevin Martin) are chomping at the bit to get it done soon.

It's more important than ever to tell Congress that now is the time to expand low power FM radio. Ask your Congressmember to cosponsor the Local Community Radio Act of 2007, which would bring LPFM to hundreds -- if not thousands -- of new communities nationwide by clicking here. And learn more about the details of the LPFM ruling at the Commission at http://www.prometheusradio.org -- our press release is at the top of the page. National Public Radio also covered the success on All Things Considered!