The FCC has issued a Sunshine Notice today which includes a Media Bureau item for MM Docket 99-25 which is only described as "The Commission will consider a Third Report and Order concerning the promotion and expansion of low power FM (LPFM) service."

The meeting will take place on November 27, 2007 at 9:30AM EST and will be streamed.

Many suspect that this is the changes in the rules that address the protection of translators and LPFM stations fueled mainly because of the "Great Translator Invasion" window of 2003.

MB Docket 99-25 is currently in a SUNSHINE status. This means that comment filing and ex-parte presentations with decision makers on this docket are prohibited until the FCC takes action at the meeting or if the item is removed from the agenda.

Statement of REC Networks regarding the applications of the Arizona Community Media Foundation (BNPED-20071016AGQ and BNPED-20071016AGR):

We have been reviewing the NCE Window applications within our area of interest (AZ, NV, So. Cal.) and we are joyed to see that this organization is trying to bring an independent non-commercial station to the Phoenix area. We hope that the station is on the same caliber as progressive stations like KXCI in Tucson and KPFK in Los Angeles.

Unfortunately, the Phoenix area has been devoid of independent media on the airwaves. We have suffered for decades with pre-packaged NPR and commercial network content. Hopefully, free speech will soon reign over the East Valley on 88.7. We are looking forward to it.

Michelle A. Eyre for
REC Networks

REC has made the following updates to support the NCE Filing Window:

BROADCAST QUERY (FMQ)
Applications for original construction permits on non-commercial educational (NCE) stations are now identified by the following line added to the data:
2007 NCE Window Station: Check for MX

Clicking on "Check for MX" will display a "MX" (mutually exclusive) report similar to what we used during the Great Translator Invasion of 2003. The MX application will display the subject station's information and the estimated field strengths of the impacted stations and attempts to compute the distance required to "clear" the other station. On that report, stations that are potentially MX will appear with a red background.

We are very disturbed by comments that are either written or reposted by a well known name in the LPFM community that we feel are racist and degrade one's choice to practice a certain faith.

We do not feel that the use of the LPFM information news groups were the appropriate place to post such messages.

REC has an "agnostic with an open mind" policy where we do not blame an entire religion for the extreme acts of a few individuals.

We feel that such comments made by this individual promote hate either directly or indirectly. We felt these comments were unnecessary.

The Senate Commerce Committee has opened the door to having thousands more LPFM radio stations on the air, not only in rural communities but also in major markets across the country. Some 800 LPFM stations ranging in power from 10-to-100-watts are scattered across the country
but are generally licensed in rural or small markets where their signals don't bump up against the mega sticks that have 50,000-watts or more of power.

By a consensus vote, the committee on Tuesday (Oct. 30) cleared the Local Community Radio Act of 2007 (S.1675) to be sent on to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office, where it could be scheduled for a full Senate vote, probably sometime early next year. The Senate currently faces a back-log of budget and funding bills that require its immediate attention.