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 NEWS  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974).  News  Media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  TTY:  1-  888-  835-  5322  FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT: 
 July  23,  2003  Jordan  Goldstein:  (202)  418-  2000 
 FCC  COMMISSIONER  MICHAEL  J.  COPPS  ANNOUNCES  BROADCAST  LICENSE  RENEWAL  TOWN  MEETINGS 


 Washington  –  Testifying  before  the  Senate  Commerce  Committee  today,  FCC  Commissioner  Michael  Copps  announced  that  he  would  hold  a  series  of  town  meetings  to  give 
 concerned  citizens  the  opportunity  to  express  their  views  on  whether  their  local  radio  and  television  stations  are  serving  the  public  interest  and  should  have  their  licenses  renewed.  The 
 announcement  comes  after  a  divided  FCC  voted  to  eliminate  or  weaken  a  wide  range  of  media  consolidation  protections,  prompting  Commissioner  Copps  and  others  to  warn  that  broadcast 
 localism,  diversity,  and  competition  were  in  danger.  Congress  is  currently  debating  reversing  key  parts  of  this  decision  after  a  huge  public  outcry. 


 Copps  said:  “As  part  of  the  license  renewal  process,  I  believe  it  is  important  to  go  out  and  hear  from  members  of  the  community.  But  that  hasn’t  happened  for  years.  It’s  time  for  that  to 
 change.  As  we  begin  the  next  round  of  license  renewals  for  radio  this  fall  and  for  television  in  2004,  I  intend  to  hold  a  series  of  town  meetings  in  regions  where  renewals  are  due  in  order  to 
 hear  from  communities  how  their  airwaves  are  being  used.” 


 The  American  people,  not  broadcast  corporations,  own  the  public  airwaves.  Congress  grants  broadcasters  the  right  to  use  the  spectrum  in  exchange  for  their  commitment  to  serve  the 
 “public  interest.”  Every  eight  years  the  FCC  reviews  the  performance  of  each  radio  and  television  station  and  only  renews  a  station’s  right  to  use  the  public  spectrum  if  they  meet  their 
 public  interest  commitment.  But  today,  the  FCC  grants  so-  called  “postcard”  renewals  after  a  minimal  review  and  no  public  outreach  to  local  communities.  Most  people  do  not  even  know 
 that  they  can  challenge  the  renewal  of  a  local  radio  or  television  station  if  they  believe  that  the  station  is  not  living  up  to  its  obligation  due  to  a  lack  of  local  coverage,  a  lack  of  diversity, 
 excessive  indecency  and  violence,  or  for  other  concerns  important  to  the  community. 


 Copps  continued:  “How  can  we  know  if  licensees  are  serving  their  local  communities  without  hearing  from  the  local  community?  I  intend  to  go  to  local  communities  to  listen  and  to 
 learn.” 
 -  FCC  - 
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