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“LPFM: The People’s Choice” TV Special Chronicles Low-Power Radio; Airs Sept. 26

September 3, 2004, NEW YORK CITY - “LPFM: The People’s Choice,” a new documentary set to premiere on NBC-TV stations September 26, chronicles how low power FM radio is bringing diverse peoples closer together and giving new life to declining communities, new strength to neighborhoods and new voices in the marketplace of ideas.

Initiated by former Federal Communication Commission Chairman William E. Kennard in January 2000, LPFM is a low-cost service designed to promote diversity and localism and to encourage voices from the margins. Despite LPFM’s promise, there have been powerful forces seeking to halt its presence. The National Association of Broadcasters and others have mounted significant challenges to LPFM, claiming that low power stations interfere with their larger signals. An independent study ordered by Congress has concluded that this is patently untrue.

In “LPFM: The People’s Choice,” viewers will meet the people who helped launch this extraordinary public service and see LPFM stations in action from Florida to Maine, California to Washington, D.C., and in the heartland. They will hear the extraordinary story of a low power radio service that withstood the rigors of Capitol Hill and special interest attacks.

"LPFM: The People's Choice" includes interviews with:

  •  former FCC Chairman William E. Kennard;
  •  Executive Director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights Wade Henderson;
  •  Media Advocates Michael Bracy and Cheryl Leanza:
  •  Congressional Members Senator John McCain and Representative Ed Markey;
  •  LPFM Organizers Pete Tridish and Andrea Cano;
  •  FCC Commissioner Michael Copps;
  •  Former FCC Commissioner Gloria Tristani, and
  •  National Council of Churches General Secretary Rev. Dr. Robert Edgar.
  •  NCC Washington, D.C., Communication Officer Rev. Leslie Tune.

“LPFM: The People’s Choice” is produced by the United Church of Christ Office of Communication - which is promoting a bill in Congress that would enable the licensing of thousands of new LPFM radio stations -- and presented by the National Council of Churches. It will air on NBC-TV owned and affiliated stations beginning September 26. Closed captioned. (Check local listings.)   VHS copies of this program are available by calling 1-800-537-3394.

This program is part of the 2004 “Horizons of the Spirit” series of the Interfaith Broadcasting Commission, a partnership among The Jewish Theological Seminary, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, National Council of Churches USA, and the Southern Baptist Broadcast Communications Group.

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NCC Media Contact: 212-870-2227 (Pat Pattillo, Shirley Struchen or Carol Fouke)


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