An order adopted by the Federal Communications Commission at its Nov. 30 open meeting will allow schools, tribal nations, and other community groups to apply to operate new low-power FM (LPFM) radio stations starting in the fall of 2013.

LPFM stations, which cover much smaller areas than full-power stations, are intended to promote highly local content and diversity in media ownership. The FCC created the LPFM service in 2000, and more than 800 stations are operating. But channel-separation requirements imposed by Congress to protect full-power stations from interference prevented LPFM stations from operating in urban areas. The Local Community Radio Act of 2010 gave the FCC greater flexibility to approve LPFM applications, so long as the new LPFM station could demonstrate that it would not cause interference to any other authorized radio service.
Continue Reading FCC Adopts Rules to Promote Expansion of Low-Power FM Stations