Help end the FCC's "Localism" scheme!

Thank you.  I have been pretty ill the last 2 days but when and if I get past that I will present my feelings on the LocalISM policy.

Some Talking Points

As this discussion rolls along here are some of the major questions.

The request for Petition signatures has been posted without explanation by Mr. Henry, and we look forward to that explanation when it becomes available.

The three points listed by clicking open the document are, in effect, Resolutions reached (Whereas, Whereas, and Therefore) following .... following what?

This Petition certainly came from somewhere, but where did it come from? It is watermarked as being connected to Radio America (radioamerica_org) but I've been all over their website and see no trace of this Petition.

At the heart of the matter is the use of the term "localism" but found here without context.

The FCC has already made a virtual end to localism by removing the "Main Studio Rule" which required licensees to maintain a studio in the city of license, and without a studio there is unlikely to be local programming, but even if there were how would it hurt conservative talk radio?

As Druid Hills Radio pointed out, quoting from his LPFM (WLSL) station's license, "This station must be operated in the Public Interest, Convenience and Necessity", which, while stating a requirement to serve the public, does not explicitly confine that obligation as being "local", except that it obviously applies to a station's signal area which by extension would inescapably be "the local signal".

Yet we know that throughout history radio station's have also included programming from national networks and independent producers.

All this leaves us once again wondering what "scheme" by the FCC might be afoot to inject "localism" in a way that would harm "conservative talk radio", especially in this Republican era when the FCC is applying a wrecking ball to all kinds of consumer protections in lockstep with the aim of conservative talk radio. Is the FCC scheming to undermine itself?

Another point essential to this discussion is the place of the ALPB (Association of Low Power Broadcasters) with regard to the political dimension of communications law. The ALPB decided early on at its regular meetings that we are not an activist organization, while a petition to change the FCC Rules would certainly be an activist action.

Therefore the Petition posted by Member Henry is subject to moderator take-down and will be disarmed, but it is here now as an exhibit for discussion.

We must hasten to say that Jim Henry was not yet a member at the time the ALPB elected to remain a politically passive organization and no doubt posted this Partition without knowledge of that restriction.

The following is from Feb 23, 2017; "The Reduced Works of the Localism Bill…" (I am assuming this may be what the petition is about, but I still don't know for sure)

"I am going to attempt to make the Localism Bill concise, easy to understand, readable and over in about ten minutes, all without losing the critical points. I have excluded information already given in yesterday’s note and I have also, unashamedly, skipped large sections to do with fire authorities, unlicensed advertising hoardings, defacing property and – shockingly – Council Tax precepts. Plus a few other things on the way. Therefore, I have no doubt that I will, in the following email, miss out many key points but I’m not a lawyer so I will leave the real detail to them and to those who are going to spend the next two weeks dissecting the Bill…"

Read it here: snapdragonconsulting.co.uk/the-reduced-works-of-the-localism-bill/

It could be routed in this:
www.americanthinker.com/articles/2008/11/obama_declares_war_on_conserva.html

May Be Routed in This

Or "rooted"? I do believe DHR has found pay dirt!

And it's 10-years old under a different administration, which relegates it to long-gone by-gones.

Hmm!

Right.. I believe Druids linked story must be what it is all about:

"The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rule in question is called "localism." Radio and television stations are required to serve the interests of their local community as a condition of keeping their broadcast licenses."

"In other words, it would not do for broadcasters to meet with the business leaders whose companies advertise on their station. Broadcasters must reach beyond the business sector and look for leaders in the civic, religious, and non-profit sectors that regularly serve the needs of the community, particularly the needs of minority groups that are typically poorly served by the broadcasting industry as a whole."