Minnesota Public Radio
Position on Low-Power FM
November 9, 2000

MPR response to a letter from Americans for Radio Diversity

November 6, 2000

Glenn Austin
Americans for Radio Diversity
2355 Fairview Avenue #156
Roseville, Minnesota 55113

Dear Mr. Austin,

Thank you for sending me a copy of your letter to the officers and Board of Trustees of Minnesota Public Radio Board expressing your concerns about MPR's position on the recent Federal Communications Commission rule on Low Power FM stations. I have had primary responsibility for MPR's position on the issue as well as being MPR's principal liaison with other public radio stations, National Public Radio and the nation's radio reading services.

Minnesota Public Radio supports the goal of establishing additional non-commercial low power FM radio stations. We believe that such stations can create services complementary to existing radio FM stations. However, we have great concerns over that portion of the FCC LPFM rule that changes decades old interference standards. The legislation supported by MPR, NPR and the majority of public radio stations addresses both the goals of immediately licensing additional LPFM stations and the interference concerns expressed by many radio broadcasters.

While the FCC has performed some lab tests on the newly proposed interference standards, it did not initially perform any tests related to radio reading services subcarriers, or the effect of reduced interference standards on new In Band On Channel (IBOC) digital uses of the FM Band. Digital FM broadcasting is the next major step for radio and both commercial and non commercial stations have to be assured that these proposed changes in interference criteria will not impede the implementation of this new technology. The legislation passed by Congress two weeks ago, requires field testing of LPFM stations using the new FCC standards, but it also moves forward the FCC licensing of LPFM stations that meet existing interference standards. If the field tests show that there is no interference to the listening public, Congress can impose the new standards for station separation.

Minnesota Public Radio is proud of its role in establishing, in cooperation with the Minnesota Services for the Blind, radio reading services for the blind and visually impaired. Started in Minnesota in 1969 as The Radio Talking Book, these services provide more than one million Americans with news and information services.

In February, at the request of Minnesota Congressmen Jim Oberstar and Bill Luther, the FCC finally conducted tests on 14 radios used by Radio Reading Services. Those tests were completed in June of this year. However, the results have not been released. The results of those tests would be useful in answering the concerns of public radio stations. In October, the International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS), representing the blind and radio reading services nationwide went to federal court to file a Freedom of Information Act demand to release those results. To date, the FCC has not released the information to either Congress or the public. We await the release of those findings.

Your reference to the K-LOVE translator in Minneapolis as an example of the new LPFM rules is inappropriate. Despite a fairly strained interpretation of the rules allowing its location, K-LOVE meets the desired to undesired signal ratios established under existing interference requirements. It would not need the changes the FCC proposed in order to exist.

I sincerely hope this has answered some of your questions as to MPR's position on this important issue. Please feel free to contact me if you have any additional questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Will Haddeland
Senior Vice President-Public Affairs

cc: Minnesota Public Radio Board of Trustees
Minnesota Public Radio Officers

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