April 22, 1998
 

In the matter of
Proposal for Creation of 1 watt service

RM-9208 has been proposed that unlicensed broadcasters be given authority to broadcast up to 1 watt. this attempt to give the public a voice on the airwaves is a step in the right direction but clearly is far short of the level needed to provide adequate coverage. As you know, 1 watt of power would barely carry beyond 1/2 mile. With it, Freedom of Speech would be freedom to whisper.

With the consolidation in radio station ownership occurring in every market across the country, public need has been pushed aside for corporate interest. Those who suffer the most are minority groups whose programming needs is viewed as niche programming not worthy of big corporate interest.

Somethihg must be done to give a portion of the airwaves back to the American people and to broadcasters who are serious about meeting a public need but lack the financial resources to own a high powered station. The solution proposed by RM-9208 is inadequate though and should be rejected for a more reasonable solution as that proposed by RM-9242.
 
 

Respectully Submitted,
 

Mark Blake